MUNKEY BIZ
ISSUE #15
Happy Hits The Biden Inauguration
The Munkey Crew headed to D.C. for the Biden Inauguration with a mission to spread Happy! Check out how it all went down!
The Munkey Crew headed to D.C. for the Biden Inauguration with a mission to spread Happy! Check out how it all went down!
Jump into the Valentine’s Day spirit with The Culture Club Smoke Shop, and tips from the lovely Black Rose on making this V-Day extra special!
To celebrate Black History this month take a trip to Harvard with us as we honor Black Stoner Excellence!
We got you covered with Cannabis inspired recipes to spice up your Valentine’s Day! Check out fun & tasty recipes from the Green Panther Chef and Chef Sebastian Carosi
En Cannabis
Check in as we highlight extraordinary Latinx individuals moving & shaking in the cannabis industry!
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Saving and investing is a critical aspect to building wealth, whether novice or expert Cannabis should be part of your investment strategy!
Align your chakras with this month’s Cannascopes curated by AstroG
This New Year Jose Rozay takes on a high end journey through his favorite High fashion sneaker collaborations!
The Munkey Team is steady grinding and making some huge strides in preparation for 420 and everything else 2021 has to offer. We can’t tell you too much, but best believe Happy Munkey will be throwing it down Munkey Style this April and we hope you can join! Also we are very excited, and simultaneously vigilant of Gov. Cuomo’s announcing the plans to pass adult-use cannabis. We will definitely be watching what happens in Albany very closely and plan to keep you updated in our next issue!
This month we have a spectacular issue highlighting the love in the air this Valentine’s season, Munkey Crew’s trip to the Biden Inauguration in DC, and much much more! So make sure to spark up and flip through all the amazing contributors' work!
Until next month, Happy Valentine’s Day & Happy Black History Month, please continue wearing a mask, and keep choosing Happy!
No Stopping, David
Check out the latest episodes of the Happy Munkey Podcast every Monday at 4:20 PM! This month on the Boulevard with Ramon and Vlad, we take a trip down memory lane to
highlight some of our favorite episodes! So make sure to tune in, spark a joint, and enjoy, you never know who you will see on the next Happy Munkey Podcast!
Like most botanical terpenes, Linalool is not specific to any one plant. You've no doubt encountered linalool if you've ever smelled lavender, either fresh, dried, or in the form of an essential oil. Linalool can be found in upwards of 200 plants, ranging from birch trees to the beloved cannabis plant! In medical cannabis plants, linalool is typically responsible for producing a floral, spicy or woody aroma. With documented use dating back thousands of years, linalool is one of the oldest known sedatives, or sleep aids, in the world.
Sedative, Anti-Epileptic, AntiInflammatory, Pain Reduce, Stress Reduce, Anti-Microbial Modulator, Anti-Oxidant
Last month the Happy Munkey Crew trekked below the Mason-Dixon to celebrate the inauguration of President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris. Ignoring calls from government officials to stay home and avoid the monumental ceremony, we channeled one of Happy Munkey’s founding principles, “No Guts, No Glory”. While we do not fully affirm the agendas of the new administration surrounding cannabis, we felt it was of the utmost importance to be in D.C. on Inauguration Day to remind the new administration and the world, that the cannabis community is watching and plans to hold them accountable! Especially following the White supremacist terrorist attack on the U.S. Capital on January 6th myself and the Happy Munkey team felt that virtually tuning in was not enough, we had to go and represent in person! So we packed our bags, made a few signs, rolled up joints of the Zaza, and headed to Washington D.C.!
Ordinarily we would have headed straight to the National Mall, however due to the uptick in security the entire Mall and surrounding streets were closed and gated off to the public. Not knowing what the National Guard lockdown would look like we parked our car at DC Metro Park and Ride and took the train into Dupont Circle. When getting off the Metro, I was surprised how few people there were walking about. I have spent a lot of time in DC and never in my life have I seen the Capital city as empty as it was on Inauguration Day. While I would love to give you all the play by play, to better understand and capture the energy of the day I am going to leave it to Happy Munkey’s very own Rafael to fill you in during his Blunt Walk.
-David HernadnezNow usually I stay in the city for the most part, but when offered a chance to hitch a ride outta state I’m usually riding shotgun. And this just so happened to be the case as the Happy Munkey Team planned to bus it down to Washington DC in anticipation of the Presidential Inauguration. Now I’m not the most political guy in the world but how many times do you get to participate in history while getting High? I’d say very few, if ever. So I packed a bunch of weed along with a new pack of papers and a crap ton of 35mm film and I was ready to hit the road. On this mission with me was our COO and my brother David and his Girlfriend Danielle and our photographer Origino of the Weekend Warriors. We booked a huge place in Baltimore and we took a 3-hour road trip, which I slept through like a baby.
I woke up as we pulled up to the house in a fancy neighborhood at the top of Federal Hill. The house had had rooms upon rooms, with the cherry on top being a roof patio overseeing the entire city which was perfect for blowing down a bunch of joints (which is exactly what I did when I got there). As we settled in, Danielle and David got to planning taking DC by storm.
The plan was to get into DC and hand out free weed to the masses. Danielle made some signs to collect signatures, as David and I rolled cones full of some New York sour glue to keep everyone lifted for what we thought was going to be a crazy day. After we knocked out all the work, we took a lap on the roof patio with a couple of joints before we passed out as we prepared for what we thought would be a war across the aisles.
The next morning David made the rounds of waking everyone up, I stumbled out of bed groggy from smoking most of the night away. As David corralled the team, I went straight to the roof patio for a quick Wake & Bake to get ready for the day, and 15 minutes later I found myself packed into the car on the way to the train to DC. Our train ride from Baltimore to DC was roughly 45 minutes so it gave me a lot of time to load up my camera with film and take a quick power nap that I sorely needed. I was genuinely so high, every time I opened my eyes, we were several stops closer, I felt like I was teleporting into the Capital. When we finally landed we rushed to the closest coffee shop for
much needed fuel for the day. As we walked with our coffee, I noticed heavy police & military presence barricading the streets, and if I was feeling homesick the grizzled faces of NYPD were in spitting distance so I felt right back in the hood way out here in DC. And just like in the hood it was time to smoke on the block, to much shagrin of the crowd around us. As we smoked, David and Danielle got people to sign our “Choose Happy” Board as we passed out joints to friendly passersby.
Surprisingly the streets were a lot emptier than I thought they would be, and stores were boarded up tight, so it seemed the city was expecting the worst. Considering that covid is still in full effect, I guess the turnout was reasonable, but I thought a lot more people would be about watching the transition of power from Trump to Biden. But the people we did bump into as the day went on were so friendly and gave off such positive energy (except for a couple of weirdos) it was awesome. Another plus was, I hadn’t taken many pictures of people in such a long time, it was truly missed.
By the time the inauguration was done, It
was getting quite cold so we took one more lap around the gated area to fill up any last bit of space on the signature board. Once we reached maximum capacity, as a reward to ourselves, we sparked the last joint we had to give out, and for some reason, it was the most satisfying Jay of the day. As we trooped it back to the train with a whole board full of signatures and enough rolls of film to make a movie, all I could think about is all the positivity to come in the next four years. We finally boarded a train back home just as the last of our energy was giving out, so we passed out as a team and woke up right as we got to our stop, the trip couldn’t have ended anymore perfectly.
One thing I appreciate about the failed real estate developer who used to live in the White House (I can’t remember his name) is that he motivated a whole bunch of people to care about politics. Now the elections are all over and there’s a new President and a new Congress in Washington, I need those people to keep that same energy because getting rid of what’s-his-name and putting Democrats in charge of the whole federal government was just the warm-up. The ultimate goal of legalizing cannabis nationwide in a way that honors the culture, the plant, and the pioneers who risked everything to create this industry will take a coordinated Georgia Senate runoff-style campaign in medical and recreational states all over the country.
Off the top, it’s important to keep in mind that the type of people who run for office, win elections, and build careers as lawmakers probably haven’t spent much time around the herb game. For the most part, they know that they don’t know –and they’re usually happy to hear from experts who can help them gain a better understanding of how it works. The problem
with that is the people who get to meet and speak with elected officials are almost always the kind of insiders, lobbyists, and public relations flacks who are hired to represent the interests of big corporate cannabis and its industry trade groups.
These are the same (mostly) white maleowned companies who dominate medical and recreational cannabis on the state level –where they’ve been able to flip their political connections into a billion-dollar head start in Washington, Colorado, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan. All while Black and Brown business owners in those same states continue to go bankrupt trying to work through the application process. To keep this pattern from being repeated in Washington, D.C., the cannabis rights movement will need to be better organized. Luckily, we have some advantages in this fight because voters in 44 states are already on our side, and no Member of Congress is more popular than federally legalized recreational weed.
In the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (from the recreational state of California) passed a bill called the MORE
Act back in December. There’s a lot wrong with it, some of our friends sold us out in the process, and we will have to make it better when the time comes. But the most important thing is that she got it done. In the Senate, the math is completely crazy. Of the 50 states, medical cannabis is legal in 20, and recreational cannabis is legal in 15. In a best-case scenario where the 40 Senators from medical states and the 30 Senators from recreational states do the right thing, there should be at least 70 “yes” votes for some kind of federal legalization. Then it’s a wrap. That kind of support practically guarantees Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (from the wannabe recreational state of New York) will bring a bill to the floor of the Senate. It also stops any of the other 30 Senators from even thinking about a filibuster, and is more than enough votes to override an unlikely Presidential veto from Uncle Joe.
The real spill is that a revised and improved MORE Act is probably our best chance at an industry that doesn’t lock out legacy market providers, prioritizes licenses for Black and Brown business owners, and makes sure money is reinvested in communities most harmed by cannabis prohibition. The bill is now in the hands of the Senate Finance Committee where Chairman Ron Wyden (from the recreational state of Oregon) calls the shots, and a bi-partisan majority of the members represent more than a dozen other medical and recreational states.
So let's stay on our grind. Some logical targets for the cannabis rights movement to focus on right now would be Senate Finance Committee Members Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman of Ohio, Bob Casey and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Michael Bennett of Colorado, Tom Carper of Delaware, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Steve Daines of Montana, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Catherine Cortez Mastro of Nevada, Jim Lankford of Oklahoma, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, John Thune of South Dakota, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.
Send an e-mail to info@makecannabiswork. org and we’ll forward a fill-in-the-blanks letter that any cannabis voter can use to make their voice heard.
The struggle continues...
What's up Munkey Fam it's ya boy James from Baltimore. Hoping everyone is having a good 2021 so far. Now that we have a sensible leader in charge going into the New Year, I think for this year's Black History month we have to expand our awareness of Black excellence . We all know Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X but I recommend doing even more research into some African American heroes that may have been forgotten in history. For this iteration of Munkey Movies, it was hard for me to think of a film that
perfectly represents this important month of the year. After long nights of thinking and numerous blunts smoked I think I found the perfect film which shows how two people of color gained enrollment into some of the most prestigious schools and against all odds thrived in their new environment. The film I'm speaking of is the stoner classic Method Man and Redman's “How High”. Of course, the first time I heard of either of these guys were in the songs I'd hear my older cousins playing.
I knew more about Method Man because of the Wu-Tang Clan and the song, “The What” on Biggie Smalls' debut album. Redman on the other hand, I knew very little about. Mainly because no one played his music around me as a kid. Funny enough the first project I watched starring these two was the Method & Red show on Fox in 2004 when I was ten years old. Now to the good stuff, “How High” tells the story of Silas (Method Man) and Jamal (Redman) and their highs and lows of attending Harvard University. With help from the ghost of a dead friend stuck in a weed plant, Jamal and Silas take to college life exceptionally well. Although like all people of color who attend predominantly white institutions know, there are people who don't want you there. In this case, the two people who don't want Jamal or Silas at Harvard are Bart and Dean Cain. Bart is worried that Jamal is going to take his spot as captain of the rowing team. Meanwhile, the Dean doesn't want either of them in Harvard because they don't portray the typical Harvard student.
With the help of their magical weed plant our heroes pull pranks throughout campus, smoking weed and acing school! Their shenanigans
on the Harvard campus ultimately peak at Jamal and Silas' Halloween Party. After the chaos of the party the magical plant was taken by a campus police officer. Without the plant, our protagonists' grades begin to fall and they have to work against the clock to save their scholarships to Harvard. After watching this film I understand why this is another classic stoner movie for this addition of Munkey Movies. Also, the original shows how bad that Lil Yachty, DC Youngfly attempt at a sequel was. I hope Meth and Red are able to come to an agreement to film a PROPER How High 2 and continue the adventures of Jamal and Silas. Who knows maybe 20 years in the future and their sons/daughters go to Harvard.
Until next month Munkey Fam! Keep smoking good and definitely keep choosing Happy!
Forward-thinking entrepreneurs have jumped into the cannabis industry in recent years as medicinal and recreational marijuana continues to gain legal status throughout the nation. Scientific studies are showing promise for more uses, causing the demand to rise even more.
But it's challenging to scale a business, even with growing demand, without creating strategic partnerships within the cannabis industry. With evolving technology and innovation in nearly every phase of the manufacturing process, business owners have discovered the value of working with others to achieve greater success.
The cannabis industry is no longer simply about moving the supply from farms to distribution. Now, in the United States and beyond, adults are using cannabis-infused products for health and well-being. The process has grown more complex and can potentially become much more lucrative — with the right partnerships.
Also known as a strategic alliance, a strategic partnership is an agreement between two business owners to work together for a common goal. For example, a hemp grower with fields of flowering plants may enter into a relationship with a person who has a laboratory and an interest in distilling the Cannabidiol (CBD) from the buds, leaves, and other fibrous materials.
This arrangement is not necessarily a legal partnership or an affiliate relationship. It's often less formal. When two companies both have business assets that can work in tandem to produce a cannabis product for sale, it's a win-win for all involved.
Your attorney will likely encourage you to formalize your strategic partnership with one or more business contracts, but that's not required to bewgin. These types of arrangements often begin with a handshake, although they can evolve into the creation of a joint venture. It depends on what makes the most sense for your combined success.
You also need to have a reason to begin one of these partnerships. Often, one company can provide another with the ability to reach into new markets, either in terms of geography or a different target audience. These types of relationships can often make or break plans for profits in the cannabis industry.
Before agreeing to work with another company in a strategic partnership, you'll want to do your due diligence. What kind of experience and reputation does the person have within the industry? The cannabis business has always been a close network of people, so realistic expectations can grow from careful research and consideration.
For example, My Cannabis Accountant has worked in the industry for years to help business owners with their accounting and taxes. Experts can work with you strategically to provide services that cannabis-focused businesses require.
Finally, you'll also want to discuss the future with your prospective partner. Determine the structure of the arrangement in detail so that responsibilities such as hiring employees, finding business opportunities, and splitting profits are clear. www.MyCannabisAccountant.com
February is the month for expressing love, and I want to know: what is your love language? Is it expressing love through physical touch, performing acts of service, or receiving and giving thoughtful gifts? Or, do you prefer hearing your loved one whisper a few words of affirmation as a confirmation of their adoration? In other words, how do you like to be loved and show love? As human beings we have a strong need for receiving and giving love, as it is essential to our overall well being. Love also comes in many forms, from a pet, significant other, children, parents, friends, and most importantly, ourselves. Oscar Wilde said it beautifully “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” and knowing how to love ourselves and each other is part of the human condition. Coupled with Cannabis, love can be even more gratifying.
What better way to show your loved ones you care than by being the one who always rolls up during the smoke sesh, if performing acts of service is your language. Or maybe baking some
infused brownies is more your thing as a way of telling your people you love them. As a person who loves to give and receive gifts as an expression of love, maybe gifting a new edible to try or a pre-roll is the best way to do it. The more opportunities we have to show love, increase our opportunities to receive love and in turn creates a happier environment all around. We sometimes get caught up in the routine of life and forget to love ourselves, which is why it is also important to share that same expression of love with yourself for a harmonious life. Each time we do a solo sesh we are showing ourselves love by taking the time to relax and sit back with our own thoughts. For a mood-elevating love sesh (what I’m calling every smoke sesh from now on), I recommend a higher CBD:THC ratio strain, with Girl Scout Cookies and Pineapple Express being some of my favorites. When paired with a few of your favorite things, such as music, movies, candles, video games- whatever your flavor, everything is love.
During these tough times, it is important that we spread love every chance we get. Love is what makes the world a better place when everyone feels it. The month of February reminds us to express love with candy hearts, balloons and teddy bears, but we can always share that same sentiment throughout the year. Showing strangers love isn’t a deed that goes unnoticed, and there are opportunities to do so everyday. By being able to give back to the community, tipping your servers and delivery guys generously when you can, or donating to a cause or charity, we are expressing love in an efficient manner. Culture Club is a community based smoke shop that delivers all your smoking essentials with love in every package. Every time you stock up on papers, lighters, hemp wick, or buy a new bong, Culture Club dedicates hours of volunteer service to the communities that have
been affected by systemic racism enforced by the war on drugs. Our commitment is to provide a service to the community while burning the stigma surrounding cannabis use, and that is how we express love in the best way we know how.
A group of Harvard researchers spent 75 years researching the key component to leading a fulfilling life, and after all that time they concluded that it is always love. Love is what makes us feel happy and fulfilled when we have it, and love can also make us feel safe and protected. According to George Valliant who was one of the researchers, there are two pillars of happiness “One is love... the other is finding a way of coping with life that does not push love away.” This February and beyond, remember to love yourself first, and share the love you wish to receive, in order to lead a more fulfilled life.
Hey guys, It’s your favorite First Lady of Happy Munkey, Black Rose here with some good tips for this Valentine’s Day. But first, Have you seen the “Do Women Still Like Going On Dates & Getting Flowers?” meme? I have seen it going around as the “Day Of Love'' February 14 that most of us know as Valentine's Day approaches. While many are planning the perfect date for their significant other, and others are single and are dreading the day, have no fear because I’m here to say, regardless of your relationship status everyone can get some love!
To answer the question, “Do women still like dates and flowers?” I can answer for myself and say yes I sure still do. But as a stoner chick, I’m talking about some exotic flower packed with a punch of that sweet herbal essence. And no I am not talking about your regular flower shop bouquet! If you guessed Cannabis, you definitely know me well. Same goes for a lot of my female stoner friends. With cannabis laws rapidly changing and new businesses opening up that provide services around cannabis, it shouldn’t be too hard to plan a perfect date no matter how big or small!
We all know cannabis is an aphrodisiac and I can personally say that it does enhance my sexual experience in the bedroom. Being able to share that experience with another stoner is a plus. Although there are certain taboos about how cannabis can negatively affect men specifically by stating that it can lower their sperm count, cause premature ejaculation or no orgasm at all, there are other studies that say otherwise . Come to think of it, how would we ever truly know? Most of these studies are based on a trust policy where random men speak on their experience or non experience with cannabis in the bedroom.
I’m saying all that to say this, if you’re interested all you can do is try. We all react differently to cannabis. If you’re a stoner you might already know what I’m talking about. By now some of you know what strains work with your endocannabinoid system but did you know there is a significant amount of receptors for those compounds in areas of the brain that deal exclusively with sexual arousal. If you are new to cannibis and/or including cannabis into your sex life try these smaller are steps, to warm yourself up for the day of love!
1. Smoke & Self-love alone first! I recommend starting with small doses of cannabis while you masturbate. This way you can feel for yourself how your body reacts to the new sensations after you’ve consumed cannabis. Once you are comfortable, feel free to incorporate a partner (or two) and go ahead but always remember it’s ok to “SAY NO” if you no longer wish to continue. Consent is just as important whether you are stoned or sober.
2. Try to stick to inhaling the smoke rather than eating an edible during your first try at the Stoned Sex Night! Smoking hits the system faster and You’ll be able to monitor the dose and experience better.
3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!! Smoking cannibis can cause dehydration and sex alone is like a cardio session. It’s best to drink plenty of water. Remember , dry mouth .. dry vagina!! Lmaooo sorry I couldn’t help it but it’s true.
4. Lastly, have fun!! Bring things to the bedroom you enjoy. There are many THC/CBD products in the market that users love using during sex because it helped them reach more intense and satisfying orgasms. For example, lube enhanced with THC/CBD to rubbing oils and specific vapes designed with specific cannabinoids and terpenes to stimulate feeling relaxed and aroused.
Learn what works well with your body and your partner and make it a beautiful, romantic and stoned Valentine’s Day. Go out to dinner or stay in? Do what works best for you and your partner. It’s the small things that count. Some extra personalized gifts wouldn’t hurt either. So don’t be lazy guys. Ladies, MEN LIKE GIFTS TOO. Make sure to show each other appreciation.If your single, don’t neglect yourself. Make it a special day to love yourself as you do everyday. Pampering, spoiling yourself with some good Zaza or whatever strain you like and taking the day to do as you please while loving each and every bit of you.
MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL VALENTINE’S DAY!
MUCH LOVE TO ALL MY BLACK ROSE PETALS & AS ALWAYS, CHOOSE HAPPY
February is a month of love and connection with yourself and others. Using your Endocannabinoid system is one of the best ways to celebrate what is truly important: you and your loved one's physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.
If you really want to make yourself and your loved ones happy, you could try a healthier Valentine's Day idea that activates your Endocannabinoid System (ECS), like getting a couples massage or meditating together.
The ECS is a system in your body responsible for regulating BALANCE. It works as a communication system between the brain and the different systems of the body. By using those cannabinoid receptors all over the skin, reproductive organs, spine, brain, heart, immune cells, and more our body can naturally correct itself.
Try another way to love yourself and a loved one by stimulating the Endocannabinoid System with a few of our suggestions below.
1. Practice Self love and gratitude so that you can better love yourself and others; inspire others love themselves too .
2. Do Meditation & Breath Work on your own or together- Enjoy your breath and/or your loved one's breath. Meditate on gratefulness and use your breath to connect to yourself and others.
3. Smile and laugh- Laugh on your own or with your loved one! Maybe watch a comedy show or make yourself and others laugh.
4. Cook and share a healthy meal for yourself and/or loved ones.
5. Listen to your favorite tunes, preferably happy music!
6. Sing! Singing by yourself or with your friends, even humming is extremely healthy and beneficial.
7. Nothing says I love you/me more than healing and strengthening yourself with yoga and/)or working out. You can also try: Cannabis yoga, acroyoga, naked yoga, working out, or running.
8. Consume some Cannabis. Smoke it, eat it, drink it or be intimate with it. CBD, THC or both.
9. Make love, connect, show love and appreciation.
10. Spend time in nature.
Over time most of us have all thought of white chocolate as the 'dark horse' of chocolates while the entire time there have been several surprising health benefits we never considered. And when has chocolate, in any form, not made someone smile ear-to-ear, I mean really? These cannabis green tea white chocolates are not only delicious, come to find out, in moderation they are also considered healthy and good for us. Combining the best of quality white chocolate, green tea and cannabis can lead to some truly delightful results. Aside from its presence in cannabis phytol can also be found naturally in green teas, that's why matcha, gunpowder green
tea and sencha are so calming. A calm mind relaxes the body, enhances the mood and aids in concentration and we all love to concentrate on the next piece of chocolate we are about to eat. A few additional terpenes found in chocolate are linalool, myrcene and ocimene. These luscious low-dose cannabis treats will not last long and are loaded with naturally occurring phytol. They are also bursting with mellowing myrcene and fragrant geraniol to add to that natural dose of phytol. Saying that these chocolates are "terpene fortified" would be putting it mildly. Enjoy the combination and get ready to make more, fast...
Prep time: 10 minutes
Wait time: 15 minutes
Yield: 24-36 squares
Total thc/cbd: depends on potency of the cannabis butter
small saucepan, wire whisk, rubber spatula, chef's knife, cutting board, 9x9 lined baking
26 oz white chocolate
3/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sun-grown cannabis infused coconut oil or cannabis butter (made in the mb2e from magical butter)
4 tbsp matcha green tea powder (plus 3 tbsp additional for dusting)
1 drop true terpenes myrcene
1 drop true terpenes geraniol
- Chop chocolate in small pieces.
- Cut the butter into small pieces.
- In small saucepan add the heavy cream, warm over medium heat.
- Add the chocolate and butter to the warm cream, remove from the heat.
- Stir well with a whisk, do not incorporate any air.
- Add the sifted matcha and terpenes, mix thoroughly until very smooth.
- Pour into desired molds or a parchment lined 9 x 9 baking dish.
- Tap the pan several times on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Unmold or cut into desired sized squares or pieces with a knife.
- In a bowl dust the chocolate pieces with the additional sifted matcha.
- Serve.
3 lbs Fresh Lobster
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup mayonnaise
½ tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp Infused unsalted butter
½ tbsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 mini rolls
In large pot, bring water to boil cook lobster until bright red. Remove from pot and immediately place in ice bath to cool. Remove lobster meat from shell, place lobster meat in a medium size bowl.
Roughly chop lobster and toss with celery, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, add mayonnaise, fully incorporate mixture. Cool.
In small pan melt butter. Brush mini rolls with infused butter and toast in oven until tops of rolls are golden brown.
Stuff rolls with lobster mixture and top with microgreens. Serve immediately.
Dosage: Approx 52 mg per tablespoon. Approx 13 mg per serving
Welcome back Happy Munkey Fam!
This month I thought long and hard about what to choose for “Strain of the Month”, and not going to lie there were a few others that almost beat this one out. But after much smoking, thinking and more smoking, February’s strain of the month is none other than new school favorite GMO Cookies (GMO), A.k.A. Garlic Cookies. Trust me, while I had plenty of Zaza this past month, there was something about this GMO joint a Homie passed recently that resparked my love for the savory hard hitting cultivar.
I first tried GMO in flower form a few years back working at Happy Munkey, but it wasn’t until I was out in Michigan and tried GMO as a solventless Rosin, did I really become a fan. FFor those of y’all that haven’t had the pleasure, GMO has a delightfully obnoxious savory aroma that perfectly straddles the line between garlicky pot roast and sweet yet royally stinky feet. When looking at the lineage it’s clear that GMO
gets its notable flavor profile from its parent cultivars, Girl Scout Cookies X Chemdog. The high always hits me heavy in the face and body, but surprisingly it’s not an immediate K.O. Instead I get an active wave of stress free relaxation that always manages to put my mind at ease.
Do yourself a favor and be on the lookout for GMO wherever you are! This is one cultivar you want to put in your rotation! Until next time, keep smoking good & choosing happy, catch y’all next month!
Welcome Back Happy Munkey Fam! The Happy Munkey crew is bringing you another volume of standout Latinx individuals in the cannabis industry. There are a lot of Latinx people making huge strides in the cannabis industry and we plan to continue shining light on our entire Latinx cannaFam in future issues! Until then please enjoy our 6 th installment of “Latinx En Cannabis”!
Cesar Casamayor
Cesar is the Co-founder of The Fresno People’s Dispensary an affiliate of the National People’s Dispensary based in Oakland. Born in Peru, Cesar is a community organizer from humble upbringings in Brooklyn, New York City with a strong focus on youth leadership and policy work. Over the past 10 years
Cesar has been organizing in low income communities in Fresno around youth homelessness, youth leadership, gang violence, better parks, economic development for immigrant families, and immigrant rights issues to make Fresno a Sanctuary City. Currently Cesar alongside community gatekeepers and activists are pushing the city to have better equity in the City’s tax policy in order for melanin folks to get up in this industry.
Monica Garcia
Monica is a proud Chicana hailing from California, and Director of People and Culture at New Tropic, an industry leader in cannabis compliant supply chain solutions. Monica drive to collaborate and build relationships from Coast to Coast!
Vladimir Bautista
Vladimir Bautista is a formidable advocate and leader in the cannabis space. He is the co-founder and managing member of Happy Munkey LLC, an internationally-known NYC lifestyle company that is synonymous with cannabis culture. Born and raised in Hamilton Heights, NYC Vlad is well known in his city and is widely recognized for his deep relationships with the international cannabis elite and his successful experiences in music, hospitality, and event production. Vlad provides corporate cannabis access to the authentic NYC cannabis scene. Lastly Vlad is the cohost of the Happy Munkey Podcast which airs weekly at 4:20 EST on all podcast platforms as well as HappyMunkey.com
AQUARIUS: Green Mango
Happy Aquarius Season! Your life will become more balanced once you surrender to your own magic. Acknowledge and accept the light that you bestow on to others and how encouraging your presence alone is. Take time to appreciate and admire yourself. In return, watch the universe reward you with many blessings due to you honoring your self-worth.
PISCES: 707 Truthband
With nature’s timing, there are some positive shifts awaiting you. Letting go of negative thinking will allow the good things to freely flow in. Let’s stop allowing thoughts that you have all the capabilities to control. Be the fish that you can be and navigate yourself out of those murky waters fishies.
ARIES: Mauna Kea White OG
Please do not set yourself up for self-sabotage due to holding on to grudges and resentments. There are some positive and exciting changes in your life that are waiting for you to let go of those things. Clear space and watch the blessings barge in through your front door like, “FINALLY! I’ve been waiting for you to make way and let me in.” Learn to forgive and let go (even if you don’t get to express it to a person).
It is time to appreciate yourself as much as you do your achievements. You’ve always striven to accomplish more, but you never take the time to appreciate yourself and everything you’ve overcome. You’re such a selfless sign, but now it is time honor you, ALL OF YOU!
The Universe is urging you to have faith no matter what life throws at you. It’s best to find a balance to those situations by being more optimistic. Yes, I understand you’ve been going through a rough patch for a while, but it’s only because life will throw pop quizzes at you from time to time just to see where your optimism lies. Hold that torch up even when times get a little dark, it’s part of your journey. Now, are you going to pass or voluntarily fail?
Focusing on just YOU will take you a lot further in all aspects of your life. Stop comparing yourself to others, your own progress is the only thing that should be measured. Keep your energy and focus where they belong, on you, forward.
LEO: Jahwaiian
Recognize what aspects of your life may need more attention. Reflect and take action. You’ve been dragging your feet, but taking initiative will cause a positive shift in your life. Find that roaring confidence within, and go take care of business.
VIRGO: Blue Chinex
Allow your tidy self to let loose when it comes to exposing your vulnerable sides. Selfhealing from past traumas is what you have to attend to NOW! Stop putting it off and free yourself from those energies that are still holding you back from reaching your fullest potential..
Things for a while have been seemingly unclear and ambiguity inhibits your ability to make decisions. Life is about risk, even if we don’t know the outcome. We may not always get it right on the 1st try, but you fell on your bottom before you learned how to walk. Did that stop you? Nope, you risked it, falls and all.
SCORPIO: Bango
Balance in how you set boundaries and who you apply them to is key. Saying no to people and\or tempting situations leads to more yeses coming in freely into your life. Take the time out to take care of yourself 1st and the universe will always reward you.
CAPRICORN: Spyder Mon
In order to get your gears going, you may have to network more. Online groups and forums can generate ideas and either lead you into new projects or help you be more successful where you are now. Getting over the “I can do this all by myself” mentality, however, that's all on you.
SAGITTARIUS: ACEH
Those moments of feeling stagnant can be shaken off. Find ways to train your brain into always seeing yourself in a constant, flowing state. Imagine yourself as a fountain, filtering out all the aspects of your life through clear and running water. Once you cleanse your thoughts, you shall have the clarity to allow your creativity to pour in.
High & welcome back Happy Munkey Fam! For this installment of Munkey Munchies we take our adventures on the road yet again to the Las Vegas Strip! Since last month we highlighted a spectacularly lowkey hole in the wall, this month it was only right to hit y’all with a globally known fine dining staple. The February “Munkey Munchies'' is none other than Din Tai Fung! Originally hailing from Taiwan, Din Tai Fung is known for their classic and exemplary Huaiyang cuisine, one of Four Great Traditions in Chinese cuisines (Cantonese cuisine, Shandong cuisine and Sichuan cuisine are the other three)! I first had Din Tai Fung during a visit to Taipei in 2018, and ever since then I craved both their insanely delicious food and exceptional service. That’s why when I saw a billboard for Din Tai Fung on our way from the airport, I knew my trip would not be complete without taking the crew to eat there.
The day we had reservations we parked our car in the Aria Hotel parking lot and made our way through the casino floor to find the restaurant. After asking what felt like seven different hotels employees and a few wrong turns we made it to Din Tai Fung! Hitting the Puffco right before exiting the car turned the group around, but being way too high in a Las Vegas casino knowing I was about to devour some Chinese food was an amazing vibe. Only made better by the walk to our table where we passed by an active display of Din Tai Fung’s chefs masterfully crafting their world famous Xiao Long Bao “soup dumplings”. To order, the table filled out a thin paper menu
with the entire meal, from appetizer to dessert, to then be coursed out. Having been to Din Tai Fung before, I took the liberty of setting it off with an appetizer order of Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs, a Fried Pork Chop, Hot & Sour soup, and for greens we went the sauteed route with the sauteed bok choy, sauteed broccoli with garlic, and sauteed string beans with garlic. For the main course I placed an order of their famous Xiao Long Bao “soup dumplings”. We also had to run up their regular dumplings menu with orders of the vegetable & mushrooms dumplings, sticky rice & kurobuta pork shao mai, kimchi & kurobuta pork dumplings, . We topped off the meal with a side of fried noodles and kidori chicken & mushroom bun. We decided to skip dessert because we were all way too full and had to run to a business meeting right after. Nevertheless every bite of our meal was exceptional!
Big shoutouts to my stoners out there that have a dynamic pallet and appreciate both the luxury and nuance of fine dining. Eating at Din Tai Fung was a dynamic journey of flavors that brought me right back to my nights in Taiwan. If you happen to be in Las Vegas, or another city that has a location, don't sleep!
The cannabis industry is projected to produce over $24.5 billion in annual revenue in 2021. With that being said one of the most common themes that you hear driving people’s ambitions to get into the cannabis industry is the opportunity to build generational wealth. In reality though, the industry is mostly dominated by multistate operators with deep pockets while success stories of minority entrepreneurs like my friend Seun Adediji who have been able to crack the green ceiling to build multi million dollar cannabis businesses come few and far between. As the cannabis industry expands with 5 states having legalized cannabis in the 2020 election and a handful more discussing legalization in the near future as they look to restore budget deficits from pandemic related economic pressures there will be more opportunities for new businesses to emerge but I think it’s important to note that owning a dispensary or other plant touching businesses is not the only way to build wealth in the cannabis industry.
One of the best ways of creating wealth is through the stock market. In my opinion there are a number of reasons that cannabis stocks should be a part of your portfolio. One common question that I’m asked is “I see such and such stock is down, does that mean that it’s a bad investment?” Well the answer is it depends. Do you fundamentally believe that a company or industry it does business in will grow over time? If the answer is yes then it might be a good investment. One of the most important principles of investing is to buy low and sell high. Think of it as getting the opportunity to buy something on sale. For example, as of the market
close on January 29, 2021 Curaleaf stock was at $13.30 per share but its 52 week low is $2.54 so that means that at some point over the past year you could have purchased the stock almost $10 cheaper per share than you can today.
Investing is a long term game. Of course there are anomalies like this week where we saw Gamestop stock rise over 3000% in a short period of time however I wouldn’t expect that either. While I personally saw my holdings in AMC stock up over 262% this week I know that type of growth is not sustainable long term. Historically speaking the average annual return of the stock market over the last 100 years is about 10%. While cannabis stocks have seen their share of volatility over the years in my opinion there are a number of reasons to allocate some of your investments to this sector. Among other things we are likely to see cannabis legalization in some form within the next few years which will likely contribute to appreciation and if you buy and hold these stocks you may be able to benefit from that growth. I’m not saying that you should go put all of your money in cannabis stocks but I believe it should be a part of your strategy.
Investing in cannabis operators that directly touch the plant isn’t the only way to put money into publicly traded cannabis businesses. There are a number of ancillary businesses that provide services or resources to the industry like technology, real estate, or agricultural supplies. Saving and investing is a critical aspect to building wealth and it's important that communities of color are armed with financial literacy to be prepared for the future.
Take a look at these, 4 cannabis stocks that you can buy on any budget using any of the many free trading apps available!
SCOTTS MIRACLE GROW
Symbol: SMG AKERNA CORP
Symbol: KERN
SILVER SPIKE ACQUISITION CORP
Symbol: SSPK
INNOVATIVE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES INC
Symbol : IIPR
Head to my video "4 Cannabis Stocks That You Can Buy On Any Budget" that will teach you about these companies & much more!
Tahir Johnson is a cannabis industry entrepreneur, advocate and a former investment advisor. Follow @ tahdiddy on Instagram & Twitter for more cannabis and investing insights.
*This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.
What a year 2020 into 2021 has been: a year ago, we were just beginning to hear about this virus that now dominates our lives. The impact has turned our world upside down - from how and where we work to dining out to virtual sports, weddings and funerals. As a country, we’ve lost over 400,000, including my mother at the end of December, to this pandemic, and hopefully, as the Biden/Harris administration creates systems out of the chaos left behind, the vaccine will be distributed to all who need and want it and life can resume some kind of normalcy.
Among the key areas of interest to the Munkey family affected by COVID is the Cannabis Culture we all love. I first noticed it when I and Cannabis legend Steve Bloom attended the Allman Brothers Band’s 50th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden on March 10, 3 days before New York City shut down. Now, anyone who has been to an Allman’s or Grateful Dead or Phish concert, knows that besides amazing music, there was always unbelievable weed, often shared among friends and strangers, as we enjoyed the bands. It was part of the concert experience; puff, puff, pass. However, that night, while there was plenty of Cannabis consumed by the sold out house, while we smoked together, we didn’t smoke together, rather, we smoked our own product and only our product. As they say February 3, 1959 was the day the Music died (singers Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens were killed in a plane crash), but to me, March 10, 2020 was the day the Cannabis world as we knew it, died. Gone were the in-person events and trade
shows that were the foundation of our community and culture; so was the after partying following MJBIZ, CWCBE, NECANN and MJBA events, which to me, was where I met many of my friends in this space. Somehow, smoking together over a Zoom call doesn’t have the same feel, to say nothing of the taste or smell and bonding that often happens when we share a joint, bong, dab, bowl, etc. It’s kind of like the Cannabis version of phone sex, not that there’s anything wrong with that!
I’m not a Debby Downer, actually, totally the opposite. On the upside, Cannabis was deemed a necessary business during the various shut downs created by the pandemic so patients had access to get the medicine they need while adult use helped with the stress of the situation. While not moving as fast as we’d all like, New Jersey voters approved Cannabis legalization last November, with Governor Murphy suggesting the tax revenues generated will go a long way towards the revenue shortages caused by COVID. New York is also moving along, with Governor Cuomo’s budget factoring in revenue from legal Cannabis was introduced recently. And we have a Vice-President on our side.
I have confidence, now that we have national leadership that we and the world respect, we’ll beat this virus and look forward to smoking that first joint with my fellow Munkey family and make the April 20 holiday a true celebration.
Till then, stay safe and wear a mask.
Welcome back Happy Munkey Fam to another edition of Kicks 4 the Kulture. I’m bringing a lot of love for the month of February, since we all celebrate Valentine’s Day at some point in our life. Valentine’s Day is very interesting especially if you are the type who likes to surprise your significant other. Plenty of decisions are made on this day, like where to go on a date, what kind of flowers to get, and most importantly what sneakers you will wear on the date. Most people wear red on this day, in order to symbolize love. Well, if you have the same love for sneakers that I do, you would probably choose to wear the coolest or rarest red kicks around on Valentine’s Day. So to help you out get fresh for the big day, here’s a list of some of the best Valentine's Day inspired sneakers that have ever been released.
February 8, 2020
Nike Sb “Strangelove”s are my personal favorite Valentine’s Day sneaker out of the list and also the most valuable to date. The strangelove’s are a collaboration between Sean Cliver’s skate brand StrangeLove and Nike skateboarding, creating one of the smoothest Nike Sb Dunks of all time. The sneaker captures the look and essence of what a true classic Nike Sb dunk must entail. Featuring different kinds of materials, from a velvet check and toe box added on top of a rich suede all-around the whole sneaker. The Strangelove’s are the first shoe to be produced by the brand Strangelove and are currently valued at over 1,200 dollars in the resell market. How difficult it was to obtain, the look, the material, and the hype on these makes them my favorite of the list.
Released February 8, 2020
The Jordan 1 retros were not produced as a Valentine’s theme, but showed genuine Love to the classic black and red original air Jordan 1 silhouette colorway released in 1985. The 35 year gap makes this 2020 retro version of the air Jordan 1 a must have, especially since it's said to be the closest in shape and construction to the original 1985 model as there has ever been. The sneaker features a black upper with red overlays sitting atop of a white midsole and red outsole, literally the opposite of the original colorway. Valentine’s Day is about love and Jordan brand showed a lot of love to the originals on this one.
Released February 2013
Jordan brand released one of the coolest looking air Jordan 5’s ever. For starters, the metallic red leather covering the sneaker, then the heart shaped basketball stitched on the heels instantly made these a collectors item. They added pink laces and lace locks with a pink midsole to give it a perfect combination with the metallic red upper finish. Generally produced in female size but many accepted them as unisex. Without a doubt, the Valentines day air Jordan 5’s are most definitely a unique addition to any collection.
At the end of the day, as a sneaker enthusiast it is very important for one to wear an exclusive pair of sneakers on Valentine’s Day strictly for the love of it and maybe to make some heads spin. Also from a personal experience, the perfect Valentine’s gift in this day and age, would be a brand new or classic pair of kicks. Hopefully sneaker brands can continue to make more collaborations and more classic Valentine’s Day colorways. Hope you all enjoyed the sneakers featured above and the Valentine's day edition of Happy Munkey’s Kicks 4 the Kulture, until next time Happy Munkey fam all love, stay tuned for more kicks and always remember to Choose Happy!
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