December 2020 by kindmagazine

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ALSO FEATURING: SETH ROGEN AND EVAN GOLDBERG SEAN PAUL 2020 LEGEND @DOGGFACE208 + GIFT GUIDES FROM KIND COLUMNISTS

MATTY MATHESON OPENS HIS HEART FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND TALKS FAMILY, COMPASSION AND WORKING TOGETHER

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EDGY VEG, REESE WONGE, CHANTELLE GABINO, MANDY HARLAN WITH SOME OF THEIR HOLIDAY FAVOURITES

THE KIND AWARDS

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IN BUDTENDERS WE TRUST—FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY THEY VOTE ON THE BEST WEED OF 2020

USE YOUR ILLUSIONS

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CHRIS RAMSAY, RENOWNED CANADIAN MAGICIAN, TEACHES US HOW TO BLOW HOLIDAY MINDS

FIRST HIT

PUBLISHER'S NOTE ISSUE Nº5 — DECEMBER 2020

KINDMAGAZINE.CA

THANK YOU TO ALL THE WORKERS ON THE FRONTLINES

PUBLISHER & CEO Joshua Nagel

My mom is my hero (and also our collective favourite family member). She’s that person

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ben Kaplan

that we all strived to be when we were a kid; loving, kind, empathetic, non-materialistic, principled, thoughtful and giving. If I can somehow become even 10% of the person she is I would be content with my life’s work. Since high school, my mom knew that she wanted to be a nurse and has subsequently dedicated her entire life to helping others. Although in her 70s, surrounded by COVID patients every day and at high risk of the viruses potential side

HEAD OF OPERATIONS & PRODUCTION Vanessa Dumais

effects, the thought of not going to work has never crossed her mind. Of course, as a family, we are always concerned for her health, but we would never dare to try and stop her. This is what she was put on this earth to do—to help others.

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR & HEAD OF VIDEO Jenn Sanasie

My mother is special to me, but there are tons of great people out there just like her. After this tragically tough year, I dedicate our year-end edition to all the frontline health care workers that risk their lives every day, committed to taking care of all Canadians. This is truly

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER Kate Robertson

a selfless group of people and I would encourage you to show them your support and respect when you can. If you see a healthcare worker in uniform, buy them a coffee; let them go ahead of you in a line; pay them a compliment; thank them. Small acts of kindness can go a long way,

DESIGN DIRECTOR Kyle Nielsen

especially in such hard times. Above and beyond that, this holiday season and into 2021, we encourage you to perform random acts of kindness. Buy some gift cards at Tim Hortons and hand them out to the

LEAD DESIGN Brenna Preston Clarissa D'Costa

homeless so that they may have a warm meal. Your friend that’s a single mom—offer to babysit her kids for one night. Sometimes, even a pizza goes a very long way. We can all volunteer. Some of us can donate money. There’s many different ways of giving back to a

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Tyler Anderson

charitable cause. And finally, friends, please support your local retailers—gyms, bakeries, flower shops, restaurants, cannabis retailers, bars. These are people that have invested everything to provide a service for our communities and are trying, amongst the harshest

ASSISTANT EDITOR Madison Makepeace

conditions, to live their own dreams. I was taught “kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change. This challenging holiday season, it’s a lesson for us all to remember. Much love,

JOSHUA NAGEL PUBLISHER, KIND MAGAZINE

KIND COLUMNISTS Chef Merch – Food, Drink & Music Jacqui Childs – Love & Advocacy The Edgy Veg – Food & Drink The Lost Two – Travel & Adventure Madison Makepeace – Nutrition Jen Newton – Women & Weed Elias Theodorou – Health & Wellness SOCIAL MEDIA Room + Wild DIGITAL Reflektor Digital

For some, the holidays mean a heightened risk of domestic violence. Help stop domestic abuse this holiday season and support the Canadian Women's Foundation, a Canadian non-profit dedicated to ending violence against women in Canada. To make a donation, please see canadianwomen.org

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For advertising inquiries, please contact advertising@kindmagazine.ca For editorial inquires, please contact editorial@kindmagazine.ca Designed, printed and produced in Canada on 100% post-consumer waste paper.

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TH E SU N S TIL L SHI NE S I N IDAHO F AL LS Nathan Apodaca, aka Doggface208, Reminds the World to Smile B Y

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Life is way too short to worry about anything small. You have to control your own vibe— you can do anything if you can control your own vibes. A 37-year-old potato farmer in Idaho faced a very 2020 dilemma: his car was broken down and he was late for work. Already living in

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difficult conditions—no electricity or running water in his trailer, Donald Trump as his president and COVID-19 on the loose—the father of two hopped on his skateboard, turned on his music and floated above the pressure and stress. “Life is way too short to worry about anything small, you have to control your own vibe,” says Apodaca from his RV in Idaho Falls, where he laughed and smiled during a recent interview with kind. “I lost my brother in 2007 and that turned my life around—you have to look at the positive in this world because you never know, in an instant everything can be taken away.”

Just as in an instant everything can disappear, in an instant everything can also become golden. In the case of Apodaca, that’s exactly what happened in a year when so many of us in so many places faced hardships. But DoggFace doesn’t look back on his old life in anger. Even though his viral video earned him more than $20,000 in donations, which he used to buy a home and a ring for his wife, the still part-time firefighter places little importance on material possessions. He was good when he didn’t have much and he says his new celebrity friends are just people. All we really need to be happy, says the breakout star of breakdown 2020, is love.

Part of that life is fueled by a deep appreciation of cannabis. DoggFace first smoked with his brother when he was a young man and he thinks the United States should follow Canada’s progressive lead in federal cannabis legalization. His clock, he says, stays permanently locked at 4:20 and he believes that people of all nationalities and ideologies should come together as one people in 2021.

“ I don’t see red states or blue states, I see green states.” Apodaca says it was only when playing around on his daughter's Instagram account that he found his viral calling and that when he was going to stop making

videos, it was his oldest daughter who told him to keep on. He says that living with his daughter during this difficult school year is the best part of his life. What he’s most looking forward to in 2021 is more family time.

this year to the cool, humble dad in Idaho Falls, nothing means more to him than his family. He bought his father a truck and gave his mother some money, and has grown even closer to his two daughters.

“My daughter, you know, she can smile. She’s proud of me. She says to her friends, ‘That’s my dad,’” Apodaca says. “It’s not about the material life for us and it never has been. But sharing these moments with my daughters is just everything, man. We're comfortable now. I feel blessed.” To follow the exploits of Nathan DoggFace Apodaca, see @Doggface208. For video from this inspiring conversation, see kindmagazine.ca.

“I don’t see red states or blue states, I see green states,” he says, adding that Canada, like Jamaica and Hawaii, top his list of destinations that he wants to explore. “What the world needs more than pharmaceuticals is a plant that brings people together—a "One Love" type thing.” The "One Love" love continues to flood in for Apodaca from all quarters. What began with a video from Mick Fleetwood and led to sessions with Snoop Dogg, Cheech & Chong and a sponsorship from Ocean Spray, also included a video shoot with Canadian crooner Jessie Reyez. He says their vibe went beyond simply work. Good people recognize good people and human connection. Even during COVID-19—or perhaps especially now— human relationships are another antidote for the holiday blues. “Jessie and I kicked it for a good four or five hours and just connected on a genuine level. We went out skating and she said that even though we were working, it felt like a day off,” says Apodaca, whose viral dance videos on TikTok are enough to brighten even thegloomiest days. “I never thought I’d be doing all these cool things I’ve been doing, but it goes back to that same thing from the beginning—you can do anything if you can control your own vibes.” Of all the things that have happened

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“I don’t want to act like I’m America’s charity case. I was homeless for two months and I was living in a tent by the river, but I was always firefighting—I wasn’t bumming,” says Apodaca, whose famous head tattoo of a feather is a tribute to his mother’s Indigenous roots. “I always had money coming in and I wasn’t worried. Apartment life isn't for me. I chose to live like I did.”

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H E AV Y METTLE Matty Matheson crashed and burned and built himself up again, finding his soul in parenting, marriage, cooking and remembering that, “If you take one ladle, leave two.” B Y

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Matty Matheson walks into his office in a purple toque and torn Prince shirt and lights up a grey COVID morning with a smile. “I had way more ego when I was a druggie chef, I was just like a little bit of a monster,” says Matheson, who’s 38 years old with a baby face and lived-in authenticity that’s equal

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLOS OSORIO

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parts kid at recess and Albus Dumbledore. “I make people laugh and get people cooking, two things that bring joy and I clicked into that and that’s genuine. I’m putting the energy out there, but I’m getting back so much more. It’s about giving to charities— that’s what’s up.”

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“ A lot of people can't earn right now but if I can make a dollar I'll give a percentage to an organization that can help people and that's the new mentality of me and my team.”

Matheson says he has no desire to be the world’s greatest chef. He doesn’t need to be the most popular person on the internet and doesn’t care if people think he’s only well known because of wild drug stories, tattoos all over his body or pictures he’s posted wearing no clothes. It’s been twelve years since Matheson opened his first restaurant in Toronto and seven years that he’s been sober. When COVID-19 wiped away all of his 2020 engagements—which was the only way he’d been earning money since 2015— the father of three from Saint John, New Brunswick, went back to his roots. He opened a restaurant, then did it again. And again. He had a third child, published a cookbook and totally reinvented himself in the kitchen, after spending years honing his personality on YouTube and TV. His brand is larger-than-life and his appearance is bright and bold. But behind the scenes and in a respectful, cool way, Matheson, a two-time New York Times bestselling cookbook author, credits his success to his wife.

Parkdale neighbourhood, just a block away from where he began his journey as one of Canada’s most notoriously popular chefs. “She’s the one that says green light/red light and the only person who can tell me to stop or keep going and that partnership— complete trust, loyalty, understanding and communication—is the major reason I can move the way I do. I’m doing it for us.”

“I'm only able to move the way I do because I have 100% trust in my wife and my wife has 100% trust in me,” Matheson says, in an interview at his headquarters in Toronto’s

“People think I’m some kind of millionaire, but I’m not. I’m cheque to cheque like everybody else and when COVID hit, I had zero money coming in—and a third kid on

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For everyone, doing it in 2020 has become difficult, and the restaurant industry has been hit especially hard. Some accounts say that as many as half of all Canadian restaurants will close in the ripple of COVID-19. But Matheson, who opened Parts & Labour in Toronto at 26 and lived like a rockstar until a heart attack, at 29, forced him to change, had no choice but to return to the kitchen. He says he had six months of paid appearances planned all over the world before March, 2020. When the masks came out, however, his revenue stream disappeared.

the way,” says Matheson, who is entirely self-funded, no angel investor, no corporate backing, no silver spoon. “COVID brought me back to basics—what can I do right now to earn? The answer was to sell food.” Selling food, for a man more well known, perhaps, for his Vice shows like Muchies and Dead Set On Life or his podcast with 2tone (@whatyousteal) Powerful Truth Angels, had almost become a previous profession before celebrity took hold. But the power brokers of Canadian food criticism all stand by Matheson's chops. “He’s the real deal,” says Amy Rosen, author of five cookbooks and former food editor at both Chatelaine and House & Home magazines. Mark Pupo, who wrote restaurant reviews for Toronto Life and is now editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest Canada says, “He’s one of the most famous personalities in the Canadian food world, and brought some legitimacy to a kind of hybrid steakhouse-bistro-roadside diner style of cooking,” and Chris NuttallSmith, a judge on Top Chef Canada, and former restaurant reviewer for both Toronto Life and the Globe & Mail wrote recently on Instagram: “Don’t tell anyone but Matty Matheson is a

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REAL FUCKING CHEF and his new cookbook is a work of twisted, magical, beautifully honest, deliciously heartfelt genius.”

and compassion. Even before the burgers from Matty’s Pattys began selling out, Chef had decided that charitable donations would help chart his new way.

Talking about these accolades with Matheson, he seems appreciative, but also knows that he can’t control public perception or critical tastes. He admits that some people took umbrage of his growing fame and he knows his persona can make people underestimate his gifts. Matheson, however, says he’s comfortable in his lane.

“Before we established anything, we decided that since we had the opportunity to open a business during a pandemic, we wanted to give off top and try to help in any capacity we could," says Matheson, who now runs Meat+Three, Matty's Patty's, and Maker Pizza, in addition to Matheson Cookware (there's also a clothing line—coming soon).

“When I started doing more content and leaving the kitchen, chefs started making fun of me and I was getting trolled by my friends for being a TV guy,” Matheson says. “I’ve had to deal with, ‘Is he even a chef?’ forever and the thing is, I can’t control people’s thoughts or concerns or how they feel or anything like that and I’m not worried about it. I just want to go to work again and I’m really grateful we can make it happen during these times.”

“A lot of people can’t earn right now, but if I can make a dollar I’ll give a percentage to an organization that can help people and that’s the new mentality of me and my team,” he adds. “I feel gratitude that I'm able to do what I love doing and provide for my family and giving back, I know, is such a big win for our team.”

Whatever Matty Matheson’s dreams were as a young chef on the road with a punk band and a habit have morphed over time into an adult's more serene reality of a life of service. He makes comfort food at affordable prices and employs as many as 40 people at any one time. On Instagram, he regularly posts pictures of his wife and family and this holiday season, he’s encouraging all of us to spread warmth and love. Throughout our interview, he smiles.

Of course, between the public eye, two new restaurants, a cookbook, releasing the second season of his YouTube series Just A Dash, three kids and the everyday rigours of business, life and COVID-19, the walls can sometimes feel as if they're closing in. For many of us, the holidays can be a difficult time, and Matheson, though often lighting up rooms with his smile, isn’t taking anything for granted.

“I’m not willing to roll over people constantly to get what I want. I’d rather hold hands and walk down the road with the people around me and get it all together,” he says. “The biggest thing I’m learning is that life is about people and if you can pull out the good and nurture it and understand it, I think we can all build our little worlds— and watch them grow.”

During these times, when Canadian food banks are seeing as much as a 200% increase in needy families and nearly a million jobs have been erased from the economy since the start of COVID-18. So this time, Matheson is returning to the kitchen with a newfound purpose. He doesn’t rely as much on shock and awe as he does on teamwork

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He’s careful to always prioritize his mental health. “The biggest key to my success is I have worked on myself and because of the work I’ve done in the program, I live in a 24-hour period,” he says. “I don’t think about tomorrow until I wake up and I’m able to do that because I only live for today.”

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“ I’m not willing to roll over people constantly to get what I want. I’d rather hold hands and walk down the road with the people around me and get it all together.”

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INFUSED RECIPES

P O T M O LT E N C H O C O L AT E L AVA C A K E S B Y

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INGREDIENTS ½ cup of unsalted Cannabutter 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate 2 ounces semisweet chocolate 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar 2 whole eggs 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup all-purpose flour Powdered sugar to finish desert (optional)

YOU'LL NEED cooking spray (I like coconut oil spray if you can find it! It adds to the flavour) 4 ramekins, custard cups, or a muffin tin if you're in a bind

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INSTRUCTIONS 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Spray your ramekins with coconut oil baking spray and space out on a baking sheet.

Microwave, semisweet chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted. This should take about a minute.

Whisk your mixture until the chocolate is incorporated and smooth. Stir in the sugar. Ensure that your mixture has cooled slightly and then whisk in the eggs and egg yolks, then add the vanilla. Stir in the flour. Divide the mixture among the custard cups. Bake until the sides are firm and the centres are soft, about 13 minutes. Let your lava cakes cool for a minute or 2 and then invert them onto a plate, sift powdered sugar over top and serve!

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INGREDIENTS ½ cup Cannabutter ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup brown sugar 2 tsp good vanilla extract 1 whole egg 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp sea salt 1 cup semi sweet dark chocolate (chopped into chunks) Flaky or Maldon Salt to finish

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl microwave the butter for about 40 seconds. Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the butter with the sugars until incorporated. Add in vanilla and whisk in egg until mixture is smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix your dough until it's soft and a bit sticky to the touch. Stir in your chocolate chunks. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a table spoon, spoon out dough onto a baking sheet, I suggest 1-1.5 tbsp per cookie and space them out roughly 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt on each cookie. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until you reach your desired cookie consistency.

YOU'LL NEED Large bowl Stand mixer or hand mixer Cookie sheets

MADISON MAKEPEACE CERTIFIED NUTRITIONAL PRACTITIONER @ H O L I S T I C_ H I N T S

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CANNACRACKER C A N D Y 3 W AY S B Y

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A holiday favorite elevated with cannabutter. These would be great to make ahead of time for your dessert table, or can be sweetly packaged in festive treat bags for your cannabis friendly neighbors. Or, my favourite, use the cracker candy to top your favorite ice cream for an infused twist.

INGREDIENTS ½ cup Cannabutter ½ cup white sugar Approx. 1.5 sleeves of saltine crackers 1 bag of chocolate chips (white or semi-sweet chocolate)

INSTRUCTIONS 1 2 3

* MANDY HARL AN @FLMARIJUANAMENTOR

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Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a cookie sheet with a lip with parchment paper and place a layer of saltines on the pan covering the entire surface. In a saucepan heat up Cannabutter and sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the sugar dissolves. This should take about 2 minutes. Keep a watchful eye to ensure it doesn't burn while continuously mixing. Pour cannabutter and sugar mixture over crackers as quickly and evenly as you can. Use a spatula to spread it evenly. Place sugar and butter covered crackers in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with desired chocolate chips depending on which recipe you’d like to create (See toppings options below for combinations and chocolate options). Place chocolate chip covered crackers back in the oven for 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and using a spatula, evenly spread the melting chocolate chips all over the crackers. Choose your *toppings from the options provided or get creative and choose other favourites! Put the whole pan into the fridge or freezer till the chocolate has set. Once set, break cracker candy into pieces and enjoy! White Chocolate topped with toasted rosemary & sweetened dried cranberries, Smores Inspired: semi-sweet chocolate topped with marshmallows & crushed graham crackers, Classic: semi-sweet chocolate topped with holiday themed sprinkles.

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INFUSED DRINKS

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D O PE D RIN KS Chantelle Gabino mixes a round of infused cocktails

S PA R K- L I N G C O C K TA I L INGREDIENTS ½ oz infused spice syrup *based on preferred mg. 1 dash of aromatic bitters like Angostura ‘Gruvi non-alcoholic Prosecco’ or your favourite ‘Fizz’ of choice Lemon Zest/Twist/Oil

I think it’s important to provide recipes that allow folks to imbibe within their comfort zone and tolerance which includes no, low and zero proof options because inclusivity is important! Feel free to get creative and alter the cannabis or kief measurements to fit your tolerance, you could even remove stimulants altogether! As a rule of thumb—do your research or consult an expert, go slow and imbibe responsibly! What works for others, may not work for you. Bitters contain/use alcohol as a method of extraction and concentration of flavour. Think of bitters as the “salt & pepper” of bartending; they balance and accentuate flavours when used accordingly.

INSTRUCTIONS 1

* CHANTELLE GABINO @CHANTIGABINO @ D O S E A N D D A I LY

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Add syrup, pomegranate juice, and bitters to a glass. Fill the glass with your fizz of choice, give one light twirl with a bar spoon and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Feel free to use your favourite infused cannabis syrup recipe with this drink, I also enjoy a canna-honey substitute for the syrup as well. Ensure the honey can be easily dissolved, or mix with water before using. The classic would include your favourite sparkling wine as the ‘Fizz’ choice.

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HOT & BUTTERED INGREDIENTS 7 oz fresh or pasteurized apple cider 1-2 pcs. of your favourite whole warm spices. I like cardamom, cinnamon or clove/star anise 2 tbsp cold butter total (ex: 1 tbsp kief butter + 1 tbsp regular butter. Adjust to preferred mg. of THC) A whole nutmeg and a microplane 2 Dashes / 2 ml of Bittered Slingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Malagasy Chocolate Bitters (optional)

YOU'LL NEED Small Saucepan Whisk Grater Mug or Cup

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Add apple cider with spices in a small saucepan and warm thoroughly until just boiling. Remove the pot from heat, remove the spices or place them in your cup. Add the cold butter to the pan and whisk ingredients thoroughly. Transfer to a coffee mug/cup and grate nutmeg on top. Adjust sweetness by whisking in a tsp. of maple or an ounce of water if you wish. For experienced consumers, you can sub out ounce or two of cider for your favourite aged spirit, possibly even some fortified wine like sherry.

Chantelle is an award-winning bartender and hospitality professional with over a dozen years of experience ranging in events, restaurant and brand management, beverage consulting and education. Her love of cannabis and cocktails are coming together in a new and exciting way. See @chantigabino & @doseanddaily (coming soon) for recipes and reviews! Visit cocktailemporium.com for all of your cocktail needs in Canada, including the @GetGruvi and @Bittered_Sling Bitters found in these recipes.

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D O PE D R I N KS II Libations for the holidays are a time-honoured tradition. Here's a bunch of different ways to combine cannabis with your cocktails. By Alfred Sui, @ProjectGigglewater

D A BBIN’ TODDY

G HO S T ED & T O A S T E D

INGREDIENTS

15ml Elderflower Syrup 60ml Apple Juice 15ml Fresh Lemon Juice

60ml Water 2 Star Anise 2.5mg of THC Oil

INSTRUCTIONS 1

Heat all ingredients until sugar has completely dissolved and mixture is just starting to simmer. Don’t over simmer.

Remove from heat, add 2.5mg of THC oil and stir to combine, serve in a teacup with freshly grated nutmeg.

Project Gigglewater is located at 1369 Dundas Street West in Toronto and now offers drink kits to-go. Follow them on Instagram @projectgigglewater.

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0.25oz Ghost Pepper Agave Syrup 0.75oz Blood Orange Syrup 1.5oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice

0.75oz Fresh Lime Juice 2.5mg of THC Oil

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Shake all ingredients, strain over ice in a salt-rimmed rocks glass. Ghost Pepper Agave Syrup 400g Agave Water (3 parts Agave Syrup to 1 part Water) to 1 Pepper. Take out seeds. Place agave, pepper, and 3 seeds into pot at low heat for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. WARNING: WEAR GLOVES WHILE HANDLING PEPPER Blood Orange Syrup 3 parts Sugar to 2 parts blood orange puree to 1 part water. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.

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C OM FY, C OZY C OC KTAI LS Reese Wonge offers delectable drinks for a snug winter This is a different kind of thirst trap! Influencer and creator Reese Wonge has become known for the crafty cocktails that she makes right in her living room on IGTV! Bar Wonge has seen tens of thousands of views, from thirsty drinkers looking to unwind after a hard dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work or pick up the pace on a Saturday evening. Reese gained her 75K followers on Instagram for her beauty content, and sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been able to seamlessly transition to margaritas, martinis and muddlers with an alluring aesthetic. She shares three cocktail recipes with kind Magazine's Jenn Sanasie that are sure to impress your guests this holiday season. Reese's Winter Sangria, Earl Grey Tea Cocktail and Peppermint Espresso Martini are classic drinks with a twist! These drinks have the ability to bring cheer to any gloomy winter evening, and use regular household ingredients so you won't have to go out looking for obscure fruits, syrups or alcohols. The Winter Sangria is the perfect mix of refreshing and cozy. The apple cider and cinnamon really round out this drink as one that can be enjoyed in front of a fire. While the Earl Grey Tea cocktail is every tea lover's dream! Find out what inspired these drinks and watch how they're made on kindmagazine.ca.

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FESTIVE PEPPERMINT ESPRESSO MARTINI INGREDIENTS 1 shot of espresso 1 oz good vodka 1/2 oz coffee liqueur 1/2 oz Creme de menthe

YOU'LL NEED Ice Espresso beans Cocktail Shaker Coupe or Martini Glasses

After this year if you say you don’t need a caffeine boost, you’re lying. A festive take on a retro pick-me-up! This espresso martini will give you a joyous jolt with a subtle mint finish!

INSTRUCTIONS 1

In a shaker filled with ice pour contents and shake until frothy.

Strain drink into your favourite martini glass and garnish with espresso beans!

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WINTER SANGRIA INGREDIENTS 1/2 red apple 1/2 pear 1/2 orange 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 bottle of dry red wine 1 cup Brandy 1/2 cup apple cider 1 can of ginger ale

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to give up sangria just because winter is here! This winter take on the summer classic is a hug in a wine glass. The cinnamon, Brandy and apple cider make this drink feel like a chilled mulled wine that you just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough of.

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Slice up the fruit and mix in sugar and cinnamon, let this sit for about an hour in the fridge. Pour in wine, Brandy, apple cider and ginger ale and mix. Serve on ice and garnish with fresh cranberries and sage and enjoy!

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EARL GREY T E A C O C K TA I L INGREDIENTS 4oz Earl Grey tea, chilled 2 oz gin 1 oz blueberry honey simple syrup 0.25 oz lemon juice

If your favourite coffee shop had a liquor license, this would be on their winter menu! This charming cocktail is perfect for snuggling up by the fire with a loved one, or to serve your guests on arrival.

INSTRUCTIONS 1

SIMPLE SYRUP 1 part water, 1 part sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Let cool.

Put all ingredients in a shaker, shake with ice and serve with one large ice cube. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

“It's like a hug in a glass!”

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HO-HO HO-LD T H E M E AT ! B Y

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Hark! Is that the magical sound of childish joy? Or just my holiday tinnitus? The season of celebrating is taking a sharp left turn from the traditional to unconventional this year. From home for the holidays, to stay the eff home for the holidays. But never fear, I am here as your personal support vegan to get you through planning your dinner—your ultraconservative angry Uncle Jerry however, you will have to handle on your own. Hopefully it doesn’t leave you saying, “Hallelujah! Holy sh**! Where's the Tylenol?!” My family and I celebrate Christmas, and we celebrate it according to the German Christmas traditions. A large family dinner on the 24th, followed by weird games my Mum made up, and then gifts. Years ago, my Mum suggested we forgo tons of gifts, and instead give to charity and do a Secret Santa with a $50 limit. That’s been the tradition ever since. The evening usually ends with dessert and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. We spend more time catching up, and on a dinner menu we love. Let's be honest—food is better than gifts anyway. And on that note, allow me to share with you two of my favourite holiday recipes.

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SIP INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. A different type of sip for a different type of year. Embrace the season with a new type of beverage. Learn more at Trussbeverages.com

Communication intended for persons of legal age only. Do not mix with alcohol. SIP RESPONSIBLY. â&#x201E;¢Truss Beverage Co., used under licence.

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EGG-NOSTIC NOG INGREDIENTS 4 cups unsweetened almond milk 1 cup cashew butter or macadamia nut butter 2/3 cup pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg 1-1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon Ground cloves Black salt or sea salt ¼ cup rum (approx.) 4 cinnamon sticks

Can we be honest with ourselves and admit that eggnog is just an alcoholic protein shake? Serve it chilled or warmed, spiked or virgin—you will find this combination of creamy cashews, cinnamon, nutmeg and rum exactly what you need to get egg-cited for the holidays!

INSTRUCTIONS 1

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Serves 4

In a blender, combine almond milk, cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a pinch of clove and black salt; blend until combined. Taste, and adjust cinnamon, maple syrup to your preference. Add rum and blend until combined and slightly foamy. Add more rum if you want to make your eggnog a little more boozy. Serve cold or warm, garnished with a cinnamon stick.

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The classic German Schnitzel! A perfectly seasoned and breaded cutlet, fried to golden perfection. Traditionally served with German noodles, a classic gravy, or fresh greens and a lemon wedge. The only dish you need to help soak up all that holiday gluhwein. Chow down mein schatz, and guten appetit!

INSTRUCTIONS

Serve immediately with a slice of lemon and parsley, gravy of choice, alongside German spaetzle noodles, roasted veggies, or a fresh green salad with a lemon wedge.

& F O O D

Serves 4 | Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and poultry seasoning. In another bowl or stand mixer, whisk together, combine ¾ cups broth and tahini, until smooth.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet in the stand mixer until well combined, I like to use the paddle attachment.

Knead the dough until it is elastic but not dry, about 15-20 mins, I like to use the dough hook for this. Sprinkle some additional gluten flour if you find you have made your dough too sticky. Let the dough rest for 5 mins in the stand mixer.

Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick, and then place them into a deep casserole dish.

Add 2-3 cups of broth, covering the cutlets completely. Cover the casserole dish with foil.

Bake for 1 hour at 350ºF, flipping at 45 mins. Alternatively, you can simmer the cutlets on the stove in broth for 45 mins.

Remove that dish, uncover, and allow the cutlets to cool in the broth for roughly 15 mins.

Prepare your breading station; with the 3 bowls below, in a large pan or pot heat about 1 inch of oil to 325-250F, and a wire cooling rack placed on top of a lipped baking sheet.

In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour and black pepper. In a second dish, prepare your egg replacer mixture. In a third dish, whisk together breadcrumbs and 1 tbsp flour.

One at a time, cover each cutlet in the flour/black pepper mixture, then the egg replacer, and then the breading/flour mixture. Fry immediately. Fry the seitan until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, flipping once. Place onto the cooling rack to allow excess oil to drip.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup vital wheat gluten 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tsp onion powder 1 ½ tsp garlic powder 1 ½ tsp salt ½ tsp poultry seasoning ¾ cup no-chicken vegetable broth + 2-3 cups for cooking 3 tablespoon tahini Oil, for frying 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 tbsp 1 teaspoon black pepper 4 eggs worth of egg replacer prepared with unsweetened soy milk 1½ cups breadcrumbs

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OLLI

YOU D ES E R V E GR EAT EDI B LE S How Olli, the highly anticipated independent Canadian cannabis company, brought an on-trend category to market—edibles that taste as good as they make you feel B Y B E N K A P L A N P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y

C A R L O S

Sarah Gillin and John Aird, back in 2017, aimed to create premium cannabis products that could work culinary magic in the infused edibles space. By teaming up with Adrian Niman, founder of Food Dudes and one of Canada’s most influential chefs (and longtime cannabis enthusiast), the group has become first-to-market with a new product category. This category, “delicious edibles,” is an infused product that works not only because of its THC and CBD infusions, but also its texture, ingredients, and taste. kind editor Ben Kaplan broke infused bread with Team Olli to learn about their recipe for success.

BK: It feels like an edible that actually tastes good shouldn’t be as novel a product as it is.

John Aird: Right? Sarah Gillin: From the beginning, the goal

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O S O R I O

was to create premium cannabis products – with a focus on ingredients. We assembled a team of talented people, including an outstanding operations, R&D and production team, to help us realize that vision. We didn’t want to settle for just ordinary. JA: We’re independent. The vision was for us to be small-batch—craft – which allows us to be nimble and to prioritize things that all manufacturers should…like taste.

on the regulatory side in the cannabis space. I’m a food and drink lover with a background in marketing, business and I love entertaining. We wanted to combine these passions and create expertly crafted and tasty edibles. We knew there was an opportunity to create products that weren’t “dorm room-style edibles,” but something that paid more attention to the quality of ingredients, product sourcing, texture and, like John said, taste. JA: That led us to Adrian. AN: I’m passionate about cannabis and BK: Edibles have obviously been have been for 20 years. It’s played a major role around longer than Willie Nelson, but, in my life in a very productive way. There are back a few months before COVID, it still people who deem cannabis consumers as feels like it was relatively recent that “potheads,” but I’ve been able to prove that you delicious infused dinners began taking can be a daily smoker and still be intelligent, off. I like the idea of Olli, that weed driven, motivated and successful in building doesn’t have to be dumbed down. business, like the work I’ve done with Food Dudes, our restaurants, and other businesses. SG: John is a really comfortable cannabis SG: Before we ever worked with Adrian, we user and has spent a lot of his career working were big fans of his restaurant Rasa.

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AN: It was through Rasa where we were actually introduced by a mutual friend, Tess who has worked with us at Olli since inception and has been instrumental in building our company. She introduced me to John and Sarah knowing they had this vision for infused products—that were delicious. There was no way I wasn’t going to be involved!

food scientists. We were excited about all of them. What is interesting is that over the product development process, things change and evolve as the product commercializes and gets to market. For example, we had all sorts of interesting and unique things we were going to do with chocolates. Today, we’re going to market with our fruit chews and other innovative products like baked goods and teas. Chocolates we are saving for a later date. BK: We’re sitting here today surrounded SG: That’s what makes this launch so by beautiful fresh fruit and baked goods exciting: we’ve worked on it for so long to get that wouldn’t be out of place at the Ritz. something just right. But how do you begin transforming JA: We didn’t want to release anything that these products into something that we didn’t think was perfect. And you nailed can be shipped around the country, it: the most important thing is taste, but also replicated at scale, and stored at different consistency and shelf stability at different temperatures for extended periods of time? temperatures across the country. Olli’s finished products combine the right mix of distillate AN: Manufacturing a commercial product and high-quality ingredients—fruit that’s a versus creating something that simply is flavour bomb in your mouth—to create a delicious has been an eye-opening experience. consistent product with an extended shelf life There’s a reason why it’s not often done: it’s that’s delicious, every time. hard. Luckily, we work with a very talented AN: And the cool thing is that Canada is at group of people at Olli that work tirelessly to the very beginning stages of realizing its full make these amazing products a reality. potential in the edibles space. So many of our SG: We always admired and respected ideas—like sauces, confectionaries, and oils— Adrian’s innovative take on food. He and our are just ahead of their time, but they’ll be here in-house R&D team work very closely together . . . eventually. and so much time and attention goes into curating our ingredients and infusing our Olli products with the purest, and best CBD and BK: So talk about right now where we are THC distillate. with Olli for the holidays. What can I give my AN: We literally had ten SKUs of edibles kid’s teachers? initially that we started working on with our

JA: We’ve done our research and know that demand for high-quality gummies substantially outstrips supply, so we’re launching nationwide with delicious Dragon Fruit and Strawberry fruit chews. SG: I think people will see with their first taste that they’re unlike anything else that they’ve tried. It just tastes yummy —like something you’d want to eat, even if it didn’t have THC or CBD. JA: But, of course, ours does. AN: We didn’t want something where the sugar would stay on your tongue. Some of the available products on the market almost give you a “tongue burn,” but our formulation balances the acidity and sweetness. JA: You taste some of these products and all you taste is the distillate. There’s not a lot of attention or care put into the texture or the flavour. I understand the need for a big company using an automated conveyor belt trying to crank out as many as they can. I understand that. I just don’t want to eat it. SG: That’s where we wanted to differentiate. There’s a market for everything and we think we’re opening up a really interesting space. AN: This launch is really just the start for us. There’s so much more we’re going to do. JA: Small batch. Product innovation. Heavy R&D. THC and CBD infusions with the best distillates. And a best in class team. SG: We’re feeling really good about the future of Olli and the industry.

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G I F T S T H AT GIVE BACK Consider giving a donation directly or in someone’s name and add deeper meaning to those holiday traditions by giving gifts that give back to charitable causes and efforts B Y

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C H A R I T I E S A N D F O U N D AT I O N S T O D O N AT E T O T H I S H O L I D AY S E A S O N SECOND 1 HARVEST

FRED 3 VICTOR

EGALE 6 CANADA

Fred Victor is a social service charitable organization that fosters long-lasting and positive change in the lives of homeless and low-income people living across Toronto. fredvictor.org

Canada’s leading organization for LGBTQI2S people and issues. Improving and saving lives through research, education, awareness, and by advocating for human rights and equality in Canada and around the world. egale.ca

Second Harvest is the largest food rescue organization in Canada and global thought leader on food recovery. They work across the supply chain from farm to retail to capture surplus food before it ends up in the landfill which negatively impacts our environment. secondharvest.ca

O N E PA R E N T 4 F O U N D AT I O N

T O R O N T O A R T S 2 F O U N D AT I O N

Toronto Arts Foundation works with civic minded partners, including the Toronto Arts Council, to help with mitigation, resilience and recovery during the COVID-19 crisis in Toronto. torontoartsfoundation.org

Toronto Based organization that specifically supports black women and survivors of sexual violence by creating culturally relevant content, educational tools, healing spaces and economic opportunities. blackwomeninmotion.org

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One Parent thrives to help single parents in communities across Canada so that no child or parent has to go without food, clothing or a friend for support. oneparent.org

BLACK WOMEN IN MOTION

GORD DOWNIE & CHANIE WENJACK FUND

Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. downiewenjack.ca

S AV E O U R S C R U F F DOG RESCUE

Save Our Scruff is a non-profit organization located in Toronto dedicated to rescuing dogs and finding them safe and suitable permanent homes through adoption, advocacy and education. saveourscruff.org

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K I D S W O R L D W I D E 1 S W E AT S Kids Worldwide is a clothing brand centred around educational art workshops. A collaboration with fashion industry vet and Toronto native Robbie Stuart and The River Fund New York, a non-profit that fights hunger, homelessness and poverty through relief efforts and innovative programming. Bi-monthly themed art workshops for youth at The River Fund are held led by industry specialists from a range of fields such as astrophysics, psychiatry, naturopathic medicine, graphic design, fashion and more. 100% of proceeds goes back to The River Fund. Change the World sweatpants $180 USD, matching top $160 USD kidsworldwide.shop

sale of each candle is donated to a non-profit supporting children with disabilities in Calgary. (55 hour burn time - 10 oz Glass: $33) milkjar.ca

GOOD GODDESS 3 COCONUT BOWLS Unique by nature and sustainably ethical, these little bowls will add a tropical twist to any table setting, make the perfect gift and are a kid-favourite! 100% of proceeds go to The Black Youth Help Line which works to prevent social and psychological breakdown in communities across Canada through a focus on education, health and community development. Coconut Bowls are sold individually and in sets of 4. (1 for $18 or 4 for $58) H O L LY C A N D L E B Y M I L K J A R goodgoddess.com 2 C A N D L E C O M PA N Y Milk Jar is a Calgary based company that uses CAMH GIFTS OF LIGHT 4 clean burning ingredients and hand poured PET THERAPY virgin coconut and soy wax. This Holly candle Through gifts of light you can gift CAMH is a unique blend of the scents that define patients weekly remote visits from pet those cold and cozy December nights. Milk therapy volunteers and their skilled canine Jarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is in community and $1 from the companions. CAMH's Gifts of Lights initiative

is aimed at helping patients in their care suffering from mental illness and addiction. This year, help those in crisis on their journey to recovery. (Pet Therapy Gift of Light $39.00) give.camh.ca A L L K I N D S O F K I N D 5 BRACELETS Every bracelet purchased provides 1 child with the benefits of mindfulness training, all with the goal of creating compassion and kindness, shifting the outcomes for an entire generation of young people. Every bracelet is hand made in North America using sustainable and recycled materials featuring a gemstone of your choice and they all come with a beautiful wooden case made entirely from recycled chopsticks. ($52) allkindsofkind.com

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JEN NEWTON SHINES A LIGHT The kind magazine women & weed editor picks the best holiday gifts for celebrating 4:20 in December

It had been written in the stars that 2020 was a year destined to be powerfully transformative, a mark in our timelines where things changed. Global upheaval, inclined to challenge us in extreme ways. The end of one cycle, the beginning of the next. Forced apart, we found connection, an appreciation for each other and the lives we live together. At risk, we became accountable to our communities again, a commitment to care for our neighbours’ well-being alongside our own. With the season of giving, gifting and connecting upon us, the gifts the cannabis experience delivers seem a perfectly divine idea for us all to source more joy. While I’ve long secretly subscribed to a “one-for-you, one-for-me” kinda shopping spree, this year I’ll declare it boldly: more self love, baby girl. We deserve it. Here are some of my favourite gift ideas for you, me and them—so we can all feel more kind this season. Peace and Love! x jen@hightea.life

@ H I G H T E A . L I F E

SMOKEABLE BLENDS 1 BY REBIS BLENDS There's actually a wide range of smokeable herbs and flowers we can include in our sesh for enriched benefits. This organic lineup from Rebis Blends delivers a flava for every mood: Lavender Liftoff adds elegance all day, Green Dream soothes for sleep, and my favourite Hibiscus Sunrise (with honeyed chamomile and sweet hibiscus flower undertones) is a must for my first joint. PURPLE KUSH 2 CANDLE BY BOYSMELLS Light it up and get the vibe right with this heady blend of cannabis, purple cassis, brushed suede, lilac, amber and white musk. Their coconut and beeswax-based candles come in gorgeous high-gloss black glass canisters, destined to have a second-life once the candle is finishedits delectable burn.

GREEN QUEEN 3 DANGLE EARRINGS BY LIT & LUXURY What we love about these earrings is how they stand out from the pot jewelry pack: the jade-inspired, bold danglers show off your love for the plant in an elegant, lightweight and joyful way. High style, indeed. D R U G G I S T W E E D 4 CANNISTER B Y J O N AT H A N A D L E R We are salivating after the glamour that Jonathan Adler is delivering the at-home weed experience, with chic high-design ceramic pieces celebrating herbal medicines (and more). Taking inspiration from a vintage apothecary experience, the canisters, ashtrays and rolling dishes are on my holiday lust-list and worthy of any mantle.

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START A NEW HOLIDAY TRADITION. GIVE THEM A GIFT THEY DIDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T KNOW THEY WANTED. Looking to share a little joy this season? Our infused chocolate truffles, high-quality flower, and pre-rolls make the perfect holiday treats.

Need more gift ideas? Shop our entire lineup at edisoncannabis.co/holiday

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PEAK SMART RIG 5 BY PUFFCO Any concentrate connoisseurs would be thrilled to receive this electronic smart dab rig, a step-up from that regular dab life. With 20-second heat-times, temp control and no need for butane, this is a sleek, high-end way to get high

I A M C A N N A D I A N S W E AT S 7 BY THE CANNADIAN LIFE It’s sweatsuit szn (as if it ever left) and this homegrown brand of cannabis-proud apparel offer some of the coziest co-ords out there, made from a hemp cotton blend, and each featuring a clever way for one to show the world they’re weed-friendly.

NIGHT SHIFT YLANG YLANG 6 C H A R C O A L B AT H S A LT S BC ORGANIC APPLE 8 B Y L AT I T U D E T O F F E E B Y S I M P LY B A R E Latitude, a new bloom by 48NORTH is a While I’m out I should probably pick up a health & wellness brand aimed at women’s sweet treat for myself, am I right? This multidimensional wellness needs. A brand organically-grown flower cultivar by built for the female-focused Latitude Simply Bare is getting all sorts of buzz f community, their first drop includes or its distinct terpenes and flavour profile: luxuriously divine bath salts that offer both think of it like a toffee-tinged apple pie a THC:CBD experience with Ylang Ylang & waiting at home, leaving you satiated, Charcoal, a Lavender-Chamomile CBD warm and cozy. bath experience, and Sex Pot intimacy oils infused with THC.

CARRY CASE KEYCHAIN 9 BY SACKVILLE & CO. Every joint-smoker knows the pain: rolling up the perfect puff, securing it in the purse, bra or pocket, only to find that puppy resembling a wet noodle at the moment of truth. This carry case holder is as discreet as they come, with an airtight closure that seals in any smell in a high-style brushed gold aesthetic. R I T U A L M O N O G R A M M E D 10 C A S E B Y R O G U E PA Q The black and gold set is the epitome of stoner luxury, featuring high-end accessories including gold-toned trimming scissors and packing tool, lizard or snake skin lighters, UV glass storage jars with wax labelling, and Rogue Paq’s adorable #sendnudes matches—all in a vegan or leather, monogrammed case. Yes, please.

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THE KIND MAGAZINE GIFT GUIDE, ACCORDING TO KIND MAGAZINE EDITORS T H E S E A R E F AV O U R I T E

A F E W O F T H I N G S

PURE SUNFARMS D. BUBBA

Grown on the best coast—the west coast— Pure Sunfarms brings a phenotype of D. Star x Bubba Kush. This heavy hitter is true to its lineage and, in terms of gifting, would pair perfectly with a perfume or cologne. Smells so nice.

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O U R

TRUSS 2 LITTLE VICTORY

FIGR 3 NO. 28 CRAFT

Sparkling Blood Orange. Let us celebrate little things this year by cracking a bottle of Little Victory’s Sparkling Blood Orange beverage. This balanced beverage is a perfect substitute for that awful wine Aunt Karen used to bring every year to Christmas dinner. Social distancing? It has its advantages, let’s be honest.

Figuring out a gift for your significant other is always one of the hardest parts when it comes to Christmas. Look no further because FIGR’s got you covered with their No. 28 Craft cultivar. This Kali Mist has been deemed a queen amongst her peers and would be a perfect gift alongside any jewelry or spa dates. Isn’t that romantic?

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EDISON 4 CBD OIL

B R O K E N C O A S T DENMAN

This is an excellent gift for that parent that doesn’t like to get high. Everyone’s heard of the CBD powers. The team at Edison bottled it up.

AKA Pie in the Sky, Broken Coast brings you a hoppy, lemony, peppery cultivar that pairs perfectly with your dessert so you can keep the holiday festivities going all night long. Nothing says, “I love you,” like some really kind weed.

HEXO TSUNAMI

A heavy indica dominant Northern Berry, Hexo’s Tsunami is definitely a head banger. Tsunami will have you ultra mellow, like a wave came through and dragged you to the bottom of the ocean and what you saw there was beautiful, peaceful, and nice.

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THE KIND MAGAZINE GIFT GUIDE CONT'D T H E S E A R E A F E W M O R E O F O U R F AV O U R I T E T H I N G S

PA X E R A

Discreet, odorless, stylish and able to deliver seamlessly the perfect pull, this tiny vape has transformed our approach to cannabis smoking and radically improved our entire cannabis approach. Honestly, this is a great gift for anyone, from the heavy smokers to the rookies interested in what all the fuss about. Also: no flower mess to clean up from rolling a joint.

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FLOWR BC PINK KUSH

A name every cannasseur knows real well. Flowr’s BC Pink Kush is the perfect red bike holiday gift for any cannabis lover. Open the jar and you’ll be able to sniff this one out through even the thickest stocking.

TERRAS CEND HAVE N ST. PREMIUM CANNABIS

No. 515 Noisy Neighbour – This Ultra Sour is a high-hitting cultivar with a pungent lemony, gassy smell that’s packed with loudness (if the metaphorical sound was a brilliant pronounced hit). There’s a reason this brand is so popular, its Noisy Neighbour strain that gives and gives.

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48 NO RT H T R A D I T I O N A L PRESSED HASHISH

This one is for all our OGs. Bringing some old school craftsmanship into a new school market, hash for the holidays is the perfect antidote to this very long year. 48 North’s Traditional Hash is made from dry sift from their indoor grown flower, and one bottle toke will have you thinkin’ of the old days when you and your buddies were just trying to write a song

W I N K VA P E C A R T R I D G E

Each WINK vape cartridge contains 0.5 g of high THC, single-sourced winterized oil. WINK vapes contain no additives, no nonsense, just pure cannabis extract. WINK cartridges are compatible with a 510 thread vape battery and are made with a ceramic mouthpiece, stainless steel frame, and glass casing designed to deliver maximum performance and minimal leakage. Available in both Onyx (Indica) and Chalice (Sativa), 10% of profits from WINK go to organizations that support homelessness & social services.

B E B L I S S E D BY ROSE REISMAN

Add a new herb to your cooking repertoire by infusing the feel-good elements of cannabis into your recipes. In Be Blissed with Rose Reisman, award-winning cookbook author and nutritional consultant Rose Reisman shares some of her favourite recipes along with lessons on how any home cook can infuse them with CBD and THC. This book features over 100 mouth-watering, easy to cook meal ideas along with beautiful photography and would look at home on any coffee table or bookshelf.

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KIND AWARDS 2020

W I N N E R S C A N A D Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S

The kind Awards are the largest consumer facing cannabis awards in Canadian history. Over 150 budtenders from across the country working at retail partners of kind Magazine participated. These are awards for the people, by the people. They are completely unpaid for or

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influenced in any capacity. Straight and simple, we asked the people who have dedicated their careers to knowing, loving and selling weed, who makes the best? Canadian cannabis companies are doing some beautiful thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;lets celebrate the kindest brands this year!

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Across the country and in every legal licensed retail store, the budtenders spread the gospel of safe consumption, educated choices, and moderation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these people on the frontlines of the Canadian legalization experiment and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s these people who have made the Cannabis Act a success. This year (and every other), the budtenders determined the kind awards. These are just some of the 157 judges who shared their tastes.

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KIND AWARDS 2020

BRAND OF THE YEAR REDECAN kind is honoured to present Redecan with the inaugural kind Cup for brand of the year, representing the very best in Canadian cannabis in 2020. Out of countless incredible brands, voted on by budtenders from across the country, Redecan managed to also take home a stunning five more awards and finished 2nd in four other categories. Massive congratulations to everyone at Redecan! Family owned and fiercely independently operated, this Niagara region licensed producer makes quality products at competitive prices, and all of their cannabis is 100% greenhouse grown. Flower, pre-rolls, oils, vapes and capsules, in a crowded market, the Redecan brand has come to synonymize just one thing: excellence.

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KIND AWARDS 2020

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BEST OF THE INDICAS

INDICA DRIED FLOWER OF THE YEAR

INDICA PRE-ROLL OF THE YEAR

FLOWR — PINK KUSH

RIFF — SUBWAY SCIENTIST

Not all Pink Kush is created equal. Flowr takes a rigorous scientific approach to every aspect of indoor cultivation. Their B.C. Pink Kush is strong, precise and consistently has one of the tightest THC ranges in the market.

RIFF’s Subway Scientist Indica Pre-Roll does things a little differently. New ideas drive them and they love a joint effort. They say collaboration is the best way to help ideas grow and they are here to push creativity further and higher, together.

INDICA DISPOSABLE PEN OF THE YEAR

INDICA CARTRIDGE OF THE YEAR

REDECAN — ZKTLZ REDEE

GOOD SUPPLY — PURPLE MONKEY

No shortcuts, no excuses. With over 30 years experience in agriculture Redecan is devoted to delivering you quality cannabis. Located in the heart of the beautiful Niagara escarpment, their state-of-the-art greenhouse allows for the optimal use of natural sunlight and clean fresh water.

Purple Monkey, that funky monkey. You'll go ape for smooth, sweet grape in a hard hitting, high-potency THC distillate. 100% plant-based terpenes, no monkeying around. Good Vapes from Good Supply.

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richer terps in a

“

To @CouchTater99 who said

Gross. But fair. Let us make it UP to you. Now with fresher flower and a 20% THC or higher guarantee. Every time.

UP.ca

To @DriedUpBlunt who described legal cannabis as

“drier than my

Wow, we’re sorry. We’ve stepped things UP with fresher flower and a 20% THC or higher guarantee. Every time.

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sex life in quarantine

KIND AWARDS 2020

B E S T O F T H E S AT I VA S

S AT I VA D R I E D FLOWER OF THE YEAR

S AT I VA P R E - R O L L OF THE YEAR

COLOR — PEDRO’S SWEET SATIVA

SIMPLY BARE ORGANICS — BLUE DREAM

Pedro's Sweet Sativa is a Canadian-bred cross of a Dominican sativa with White Russian and an unknown indica. The result is a sativa-dominant hybrid taht produces large, airy flowers with a unique terpene profile and high THC content.

This sativa-dominant Blue Dream uses only FVOPA Organic Certified whole flower. This Blue Dream is exceptionally aromatic giving a strong blueberry aroma with a warm and peppery terpene profile. Grown in living soil, hang-dried for 14 days and cold cured. This is single strain, whole bud, milled to perfection and rolled with 100% organic hemp papers, finished by hand.

S AT I VA D I S P O S A B L E PEN OF THE YEAR

S AT I VA C A R T R I D G E OF THE YEAR

REDECAN — TRAINWRECK

GOOD SUPPLY — TANGIE KUSH

Redecan remains one of the very few private, 100% Canadian owned and operated companies in the cannabis industry and maintains its family-oriented mindset. They believe that everyone should be able to buy high quality cannabis products for reasonable prices.

Get down with the citrus. Tangie Kush has arrived in high THC distillate form and is 100% plant-based. You'll know what we mean when we say sweet tangerine—no added flavour, just the good stuff.

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BEST OF THE HYBRIDS

HYBRID DRIED FLOWER OF THE YEAR

HYBRID PRE-ROLL OF THE YEAR

SPINACH — DIESEL

KOLAB — HEADBAND

Spinach focuses on producing some of the dankest Spinach™ around the globe. They only grow the chronic because when you’re having fun you should never have to worry about the quality of your Spinach™. It is super frosty like your windshield in February, so kick back and relax, they got you covered.

A refined collection of high quality cannabis products and designfocused, purposeful goods. Each pre-roll uses only whole bud, and never shake, from carefully cultivated and hand-selected strains. Kolab’s premium dried flower pre-rolls are milled, rolled, and handfinished to ensure they meet the highest standards.

HYBRID DISPOSABLE PEN OF THE YEAR

HYBRID CARTRIDGE OF THE YEAR

ACE VALLEY — CBD

GOOD SUPPLY — PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

Ace Valley obsesses over details and work with expert cultivators in Canada to create premium and approachable cannabis products. They are designed to illuminate any lighter moment—experiences with friends, music, food and culture. Ace Valley is a cannabis brand from the team behind Ace Hill, a beverage brand based in Toronto.

All aboard, Pineapple Express. This iconic cannabis strain hits hard in distillate form with an unmistakable tropical flavour. If you’re looking for a no-nonsense vaping experience, it doesn’t get any better than this—high-potency THC distillate with no added flavour, just the good stuff.

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BEST OF THE REST

BEST VA P O R I Z E R

BEST BEVERAGE

PAX — PAX 3 AND PAX NEW ERA

TRUSS — LITTLE VICTORY

An award-winning consumer technology brand, PAX products continue to represent the gold standard in product quality and aim to be good stewards for a product and movement that enhances many people’s lives. Pax as a company almost unanimously won this kind category.

Truss are craftspeople, dedicated to creating a whole new world of drinks as diverse as the population that will enjoy them. Supported by partners Molson Coors and HEXO, their dynamic bottling plant in Belleville, Ontario is filled with a team of mixologists who dedicate themselves to dream up and craft wonderful beverages. They do things a little bit differently, breaking down cannabis into tiny drops that are water-soluble and absorbed by the body more efficiently.

C O N C E N T R AT E OF THE YEAR

EDIBLE OF THE YEAR

GOOD BUDS

WANA

Craft, certified organic cannabis from Salt Spring Island, B.C. At Good Buds, their mission is to deliver the finest weed and concentrates available in the recreational cannabis market. Cultivated by hand, and grown in living organic solid for better flavour.

Wana™ Sour Gummies come in a variety of flavours and are handcrafted with vegan and gluten-free ingredients. Made using a shelf-stable recipe, Wana™ Sour Gummies are infused with terpene-enhanced distillate and third-party tested to ensure purity and potency.

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BEST OF THE REST

CBD BRAND OF THE YEAR

CRAFT CANNABIS OF THE YEAR

SOLEI — FREE

BROKEN COAST

Find your moment with Soleil’s, “FREE”, CBD products. Soleil is sun-grown and sustainable which helps them grow high quality cannabis. Let them be your guide as you rediscover the moments of your everyday

Broken Coast has deep roots in British Columbia, and they are proud to contribute to the reputation their province has earned for producing outstanding cannabis. Their plants are grown in small batches in single-strain rooms, and they tailor their production schedule to ensure they have a constant supply of fresh product in stock. Hand trimmed and slow cured, the level of quality cannot be matched by any mechanical process.

THC OIL AND CAPSULE OF THE YEAR

TERPENE OF THE YEAR

REDECAN

LIMONENE

Redecan softgels are made from oils that are extracted from a blend of Redecan’s greenhouse-grown cannabis. Each capsule was formulated with responsibly sourced MCT oil.

And now a word to our heroes, terpenes, the flavour profiles that give all of our cannabis products their kick. While picking just one terpene over another is a little like picking your favourite child, the budtenders have spoken and this year the kind terpene of the year is Limonene, whose sweet and citrusy goodness is featured in Super Lemon Haze, Durban Poison, and many more excellent strains. Thank you, Limonene. You lit up our year.

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Pushing the boundaries of cannabis marketing. Strategy, creative, and consulting.

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Some say cannabis legalization has worsened illegal activity — and with that, a whole new set of problems for the government to grapple with

When Edward Kim’s boss decided to open Sticky Nuggz, a licensed cannabis store in downtown Toronto, he chose a street that had already proven lucrative by an illicit dispensary called CAFÉ—it was reportedly raking in between $30,000 to $50,000 each day. In fact, there’s a good chance it’s still bringing in that much money. To the surprise of store manager Edward Kim, the shop is still open. After multiple queries to police and local authorities, Kim was told that in addition to the property’s landlord facing 80 charges under Ontario’s Cannabis Control Act, CAFÉ’s owner is facing 38 charges and several employees are facing another 271. “These charges are before the courts,” wrote the city’s Municipal Licensing and Standards district manager, Pat Burke, in an email to Kim. “We are confident the charges issued will result in convictions, and our prosecutors will request the courts impose significant penalties to finally shut the fourCAFÉ locations down.” Kim isn’t convinced. “Isn’t it in their best interest to shut these guys down and to help us out?” he says. “We've been bleeding out money since 2018.” While authorities have been successful shuttering many of the illicit storefronts across the country, illicit cannabis sellers haven’t disappeared post-legalization. In fact, they may have grown, provoking some activists and experts to wonder if policing, which unfairly targeted people of colour pre-legalization, continues to be biased.

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Detective Inspector Jim Walker, deputy director of the central Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau at the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), says that as police investigated illegal storefronts in recent years, they were gathering intelligence on where the supply of products were coming from. Now, they’re going after those suppliers. Between July and Oct. 15 of this year, Walker and his colleagues have laid 327 federal Cannabis Act and Criminal Code charges related to illicit cannabis grow-ops. In that time, the OPP has raided 52 large-scale grows, seizing more than 122,000 cannabis plants — 7000 from one site alone — totalling approximately $143 million in value. Even though Statistics Canada says their data shows the illicit market has shrunk significantly since legalization, Walker says that’s not what he’s seeing on the street.

"The OPP's report confirms what we speculated in April, which is that organized crime has weaseled its way into the permit process," says David Clement, the North American affairs manager at the Consumer Choice Center. Through Access to Information Requests, Clement found that the personal and designated cannabis growing program produces 2.5 to 4.5 times more weed than what is produced by licensed cannabis producers. “Unfortunately that excess cannabis is being diverted into the illegal market.” According to the RCMP, half of the national high-threat organized crime groups are involved in the illicit cannabis market, many of which supply international markets where weed is still illegal.

“The demand, with legalization, means more people are using,” he says. “So we're seeing an increase in those criminal elements that are looking to profit on that.”

In September, the RCMP and OPP joined forces with U.S. Homeland Security, executed six search warrants in Ontario and Quebec and discovered 800 illicit cannabis plants, 400 grams of suspected cocaine and 18 firearms. Police believe one of the groups used a Jet Ranger helicopter to fly product over the border at low altitudes to evade detection.

A major area of concern for police is the legal medical cannabis personal growing program run by Health Canada that started long before recreational cannabis legalization. Registration in the program has grown significantly, and some designated growers are producing far more cannabis than registered medical cannabis consumers need, they say. The product is diverted to the illicit market in Canada and over the border to the U.S., where even though many states have legal cannabis, it’s still federally illegal.

And in August, Ontario and B.C. police executed 26 search warrants in both provinces at multiple medical grow sites and say they found more than 100,000 illicit cannabis plants; nearly 2000 pounds of dried bud; 21 pounds of illicit shatter; two ounces of cocaine, three pounds of illicit cannabis hash, 22 pounds of illicit oil and hundreds of illicit vape pens. They also seized six firearms, $2.5 million in Canadian cash, $580,828 in U.S. currency and $379,383 in Chinese and South Korean dollars. Six have been charged.

But restricting personal medical growing is not the answer, says Clement. The majority of registered medical growers aren’t selling excess to the illicit market.

were seven times more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession. Could a racist war on drugs be raging on post-legalization, just with new rules? Cannabis convictions and criminal records can be barriers to education, housing, travel, volunteering, and working jobs, including those in the legal cannabis industry, which could partially account for the overwhelmingly white presence in the industry.

"Doing so would violate their constitutional rights, and would be exceptionally cruel given how marginalized this group has historically been,” he says. “Rather than trying to arrest their way out of the problem, the government should focus on transitioning permit holder growers into the legal market.” The Canadian government says its data, based on self-reported surveys, shows spending on illicit cannabis has fallen to a new low $784 million, and there are no plans to change the medical growing program. But in addition to concerns that in actuality, weed legalization has grown the illicit cannabis market, experts at Cannabis Amnesty say prohibition was rooted in racism, and how racist police practices could still unfairly target people of colour.

But charges also have less obvious consequences.

“ The RCMP and

At a recent town hall, sociologist Akwasi Owusu-Bempah presented the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s recent report showing that in Toronto, Black people are more likely to be arrested, charged and over-charged by police. They are also more likely to be struck, shot or killed by police. While there isn’t official police data collected, he also noted that in Toronto, between 2003 and 2013, the Toronto Star found that Black people accounted for 25 per cent of cannabis possession arrests even though they made up just eight per cent of the population and use cannabis just as frequently as white people. Annamaria Enenajor, Cannabis Amnesty’s executive director, notes that if you were Indigenous in Vancouver in 2017 — the year before legalization — you

OPP executed six search warrants and discovered 800 illicit cannabis plants, 400 grams of suspected cocaine, and 18 firearms.” “The child welfare system became one of the major downfalls of many families that have broken up because of the criminalization of cannabis,” according to Chief Isadore Day. “We have dealt with the over-representation of not just folks in the penal system, but those in the child welfare system. Many, many families were broken up.” He also says that the Cannabis Act should include First Nations jurisdiction when it comes to sales and distribution because First Nations lands fall under federal, not provincial laws.

“For us, in every province, First Nation people are still outside of the recognized legalized cannabis in Canada, which in our eyes as First Nations, we don't see ourselves as being illegal,” he says. Hopefully, these are some of the issues that will arise this year’s Canadian Chamber of Commerce National Cannabis Working Group’s industry-led review of the Cannabis Act. “Through this review, the industry will provide thorough recommendations to the federal government about what changes are needed so industry can better compete with the illegal market, create more jobs, and maintain Canada’s leadership in global markets,” says Ryan Greer, senior director of cannabis policy at the Chamber. In the meantime, Edward Kim can’t believe unlicensed store CAFÉ is still open, business as usual for the holidays. But he also understands that there could be more pressing priorities for the criminal justice system, and that the Canadian government will need to deal with the problems that have been created out of legalization. But while he doesn’t think it’s fair that licensed stores have to pay high fees to comply with strict rules and red tape, it could also be that criminalizing unlicensed cannabis at all isn’t the answer: When one organization falls, another will surely emerge. “I think we should focus on other drugs or minors or some terrible stuff like guns,” says Kim. Weed is just weed. And if they shut down one guy, there's another co-op that will jump right in.”

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KIND BUD FOR THE H O L I D AY S As the race to the bottom occupies multiple licensed producers, prestige cannabis companies and their retail partners fight back this holiday season with really good weed B Y

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Cannabis users know that their recreational product of choice is not a commodity. A commodity implies fungibility; for instance, a barrel of crude oil from Calgary may be interchangeable with a barrel of crude from Texas—wherever you get it from the product is the same. Cannabis, however, a flower that’s tenderly grown with human hands, has wild divergence in quality, taste and smell. This, importantly, is one of the missteps of

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the early licensed producers who came from outside the industry: they underestimated the market’s appetite for really good weed. “There’s never enough of the good stuff, and there’s always too much of the bad,” says Vinay Tolia, CEO of Flowr, a premium cannabis grower based in Kelowna, BC, the epicentre of domestic cannabis cultivation. “If you assume all cannabis is the same and can drive customer preference based on the

lowest possible price, you’re ignoring the 80% of the legal cannabis market that are informed users like I am, appreciate the product, and know what they like.” Quality in cannabis, much like in spirits and wine, ranges metaphorically from bathtub gin to Dom Pérignon. Two years into the end

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BC PINK KUSH. GROWN TO HIGHER STANDARDS.

THC 22.5% ± 2.5%

Learn more at flowr.ca/precision. © 2 0 2 0 F l o w r. A l l r i g h ts re s e r v e d . * B a s e d o n t h e c o m p a r i s o n o f o u td o o r g ro w i n g s ta n d a rd s vs . i n d o o r g ro w i n g s ta n d a rd .

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“ Consumers are learning to trust in brand reliability and quality and in their retailers' ability to deliver— that’s the space where the industry can grow.”

of cannabis prohibition has produced more educated consumers; while many cannabis shoppers still have trouble differentiating between brands, they do recognize the wide range of class in their legal options.

“The brands that resonate well with consumers are consistently growing excellent products that almost follow the trend of small-batch craft beer,” says Gillon, adding that he sees demand for locally produced cannabis from companies like Broken Coast Premium, consistent cannabis is difficult to and Whistler and that when he speaks to grow, says Corey Gillon, CEO of Choom, a industry leaders at large companies, he often Vancouver-based chain of 15 licensed cannabis hears about their plans to further develop retailers, adding that his customers are their premium lines. There is such a thing as increasingly shopping for a really good edible discerning weed smokers. Apparently, they’re or pre-roll they consistently trust. Initially, the demographic to covet in 2021. consumers might have bought cannabis based on the highest THC range or lowest price— “As we evolve as an industry and remove certainly, some still do—but Gillon believes stigma and do our job as retailers informing a result of the legal market is customers consumers, I think you’ll see a critical developing preference and taste. At one point, component for success in cannabis being goes another analogy, it was wild that we had reliable, premium brands,” continues Gillon, automobiles. Today, luxury vehicles take up whose Choom executive team comes from 40% of the road. places like Aritzia, Walmart and Ikea.

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“Consumers are learning to trust in brand reliability and quality and in their retailers' ability to deliver—that’s the space where the industry can grow.” For Vinay Tolia at Flowr, quality is the only place he wants to be. He says he’d never show up to his twin brother’s annual holiday party with a plastic jug of rotgut vodka and that he believes underestimating the cannabis consumer is not only insulting, it’s a bad business plan. “You open up a jar of the good stuff and, if you’re a weed smoker, it draws you in like a magnet and if it’s not good, you run out the door,” Tolia says. “Our brand is built upon the whole idea of quality and that’s hard to do well but we think, for a premium product, there will always be a demographic that understands.”

GET TO KN O W YO U R T ER P EN ES

Put simply, terpenes are the things responsible for the aroma of cannabis. Pick out some you might be interested in and ask your local budtender for their advice next time you’re in the store. Use the discount code BEKIND at shopgoldleaf.com to get your own terpene wheel print!

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LEARN YOUR TERPENES

MAD DASH TO HASH

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I F T H E V IN Y L REVI VAL I S A N Y I ND I C ATI O N , H A S H IS A B O U T TO G ET A LOT MO R E AT TEN TI O N T H E M A D D A S H T O B Y G R E G H U D S O N

God bless the aficionados, the fanatics, the stans, the glorious weirdos who refer to themselves by affixing “head” to the object of their obsession, be it sneakers or The Grateful Dead. They find depth, wisdom, real genius and true art where others can’t. Their passion can be overwhelming, especially if you disagree with their thesis on the relative

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merits of “their” interest vis-a-vis something related, but probably newer. And while some hobbyists find meaning in exclusivity, True Believers are missionaries, always on the lookout for new converts. Given the right conditions, some of those missionaries can be pretty persuasive. Maybe the best example of this is vinyl records. By now the growing popularity of vinyl isn’t news. But still, the rise of vinyl from the brink of extinction in the early 90’s to outpacing CD sales last year is counterintuitive: in a world where music has never been easier to find, or more convenient to play, the most labourintensive listening experience is growing. The vinyl heads were right all along. There’s a lesson here that hasn’t been missed by cannabis brands. Hashish is basically the vinyl of the cannabis industry. According to Dan Sutton, the CEO of Tantalus Labs in BC, it’s an apt comparison.

“The vinyl connoisseur understands the importance of needles, dials—they care about details. Hash requires attention to detail.” It requires attention to details to produce and to appreciate. And, as advocates will tell you, one of the nice things about hash is that it provides a cleaner high that won’t disrupt that attention. Hash is basically concentrated cannabis—which is why it was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2019 with the other concentrates and oils. It’s made from extracting, and sometimes compressing those sticky little crystals that frost your favourite flower, called trichomes. The more effectively the trichomes are removed, the cleaner and more potent the hash. It’s like, you know how after finishing a bowl of Lucky Charms, the leftover milk at the bottom of your bowl is sweet and delicious (and slightly discoloured)? Imagine eating bowl after bowl of Lucky Charms, each new helping making the milk dregs sweeter

and sweeter, then taking all that magically delicious milk and somehow squeezing all the flavour and sweetness out of the liquid, like how they make cheese. And finally, pressing all that sugary-marshmallowy goodness into a dessert square. That’s concentrates… The one problem with that analogy is the cereal. Unlike the diabetic nightmare described above, a brick of hash doesn’t all come from the same plant. It takes a village. “We use trim and the tiny buds that are too little to bag to make hash,” explains Amy Weinstein, Senior Manager, Sales and Engagement at 48North. “The trichomes are removed in a dry sift process and then heat-pressed into a brick. The experience might be more nuanced or amplified since it is concentrated, so contains more terpenes, which really define the experience. However, a lot of hash isn’t strain specific.” Sutton said the same thing. “Some flowers work amazingly for hash, some not. Looking through a jeweller’s loupe, what we’re looking for are large trichomes that easily fall off in the sifting process.” Their mixture, Bricked Blonde Hash, seems to be working. After its release this summer, it quickly became BC’s top selling hash. And the concentrates market is just picking up steam. In Colorado, concentrates represent 10% of the market. In Canada, they represent—currently—just 2.3% of the market. Andy Palalas, chief revenue officer of High Tide Inc., which operates over 30 Canna Cabana retail locations across the country, says that concentrates represent a segment of the Canadian cannabis industry perhaps best primed for growth. Concentrates differ in other ways from traditional cannabis flower. After hearing cannabis brands tout the superiority of their exclusive strains for years, it seems strange that they matter less with hash. “Hash has a pretty big range of experience or methods of use which can be quite similar to flowers, but also different in some ways. It is a much more clean and flavourful experience than flowers,” says Brishna Kamal from Whistler Therapeutics, a medically focused organic cannabis producer and soon-to-be processor. “Flower, when stored long term, loses flavour. Hash is more stable and can be aged like wine, and like wine, it can come from different geographical terroirs.”

All great grist for hash-heads, but the real draw is the potency. Hash typically comes in between 30% to 60% THC. That means new users should be cautious, but it also means hash has untapped power. “This is what is exciting about hash, in my opinion, it can be made organically, economically, and in a manner that retains the full profile of the Cannabis Sativa plant itself,” explains Kamal.

But before it had any hope of becoming an API, hash was just pot’s most nostalgic version of itself, a special treat for those in the know. This actually highlights another reason why the hash as vinyl analogy is apt. The reason vinyl survived the 90’s was because aficionados kept the market alive at flea markets, secondhand shops, and amongst themselves. The industry doesn’t track second-hand sales obviously, which means the market is even bigger than it seems. Dan Sutton, the Tantalus Labs chief executive who once shared a bowl of hash with kind magazine back before COVID-19, believes the appetite for concentrates in Canada is ripe for a mad dash to hash. “What we’ve found in our research is that the market already definitely exists. They’ve been serviced for decades,” he says. “We just want to meet them where they live.” That means high quality at a low cost. More products hitting the market will The goal for Whistler Therapeutics, help more people learn about hash, but now that they’ve perfected their extracting just as vinyl records haven’t really cut process, is to essentially re-define what hash into Spotify’s bottom line, hash will never can be. “In the future, we will be producing overshadow cannabis (partly because it cannabis containing products with clinical is cannabis, but you knew what I meant). claims. Due to the strong patient response to It’s just different enough, in potency, in these products that we have already observed, taste, in experience to attract the future we are looking to take certain extracts faithful and intimidate the masses. “There through clinical trials. In this case, hash will be are a lot of hash advocates out there,” says an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API).” Sutton. “You just have to find them.”

“ You know how finishing a bowl of Lucky Charms, the leftover milk at the bottom of your bowl is sweet and delicious? That's concentrates.”

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MAGIC

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE Iconoclast Canadian Chris Ramsay is one of the world’s most beloved magicians. Here, he spills the beans on being a chameleon, shredding the old school, and a trick to amaze your friends for the holidays B Y

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Chris Ramsay, magician, photographer, puzzle-maker and all-around Canadian mystery man, has drawn raves from Neil Patrick Harris and 4-million followers on YouTube. We caught up with Ramsay to learn his secrets, his sizzle, and how to entertain our friends and loved ones this Christmas— whether online or in person, completely sober or stoned off our ass. Ramsay says a good magic trick never fails.

BK: When did you first acknowledge your exceptionality? CR: Magic is an icebreaker. My dad was in the Canadian military and I moved around a lot as a kid. I learned early that practicing magic can set you apart—make you interesting.

psychological dynamics, then playing upon them.

heavy on my liver, so I exited stage left, and eventually became a professional magician.

BK: Why magic?

BK: How old were you?

CR: It gives you tips and tricks to conquer your awkward moments and fear.

CR: I was 25. It was twelve years ago.

BK: Social media has definitely become a big BK: You’ve gone from corporate magician to part of your brand. bonafide celebrity. How’d your career evolve CR: I used to like posting my sleight of CR: I’d use my tricks and skills at the bar and hand on Instagram and soon enough, that made me more comfortable—plus the companies that sell magic took notice. I low lighting, loud music and drunk patrons started working for them, building their made for a perfect environment to practice online communities, then I thought I’d try a the craft. better trick—making content and building subscribers of my own. BK: So you’re saying...

BK: You’re certainly interesting, dude. Your YouTube channel is out of this world and you have more tattoos than our cover star, Matty Matheson. CR: I learned how to be interesting from being a chameleon. Through magic, I was able to reinvent myself. Constantly. That’s where the curiosity came from. Entering new schools led me to dissecting the social and

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CR: Anyone looking to work in magic, tend bar!

BK: I’ve seen bartenders do cool shit. I used to have a friend who’d snap fire when he worked. CR: The bar scene turned out to be a little too

BK: Why do you think you’ve taken off as you have? CR: The level of magic being showcased and even my sense of humour, weren’t being represented. I was going to do my own thing—regardless of what these older magicians think.

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BK: You didn’t mind stepping on some toes?

BK:What were you proposing that so pissed people off? CR: For instance: magic can only be experienced in real life. I mean, lo and behold: 2020 proved otherwise.

BK: You’re also known as the King of the Puzzle. CR: Puzzles relate to magic in methodology. I think magicians are fascinated with the effect that the trick does but also how that trick works. Puzzles require logic, but also thinking outside the box, and so Escape Rooms and puzzle solving—you know the truth is that it all comes down to me secretly wanting to be a spy.

HOW TO DO MAGIC L I K E C H R I S R A M S AY

A R T S

CR: Not at all.

B Y C H R I S R A M S AY

First: ask the person on the other line to take any deck of cards, and give it a shuffle. Once they're done, ask them to look at the bottom card. That’s their card. That’s the card you’re trying to find.

Now, work your magic. Say something like, in your own words: “I want you to take the value of that card, say it’s a 5. So take the value of the secret card and that’s how many cards you take off the deck.

Now take your five cards and put it to the bottom.

4 5

Work them a little now. Say, “Your card is somewhere near the bottom, but not at the bottom.” Create a little mystique, anticipation. One at a time, from the bottom, have them name out cards. Remember: It’s OK if they go past the card that is their card. Let them count about thirteen cards up.

BK: You are like a spy! CR: I play with cool gadgets and pretend I’m someone I’m not. Being a magician, spy or pirate, those were basically my only options.

7 BK: Help us with a trick. CR: The thing is: you can go to magic shops and purchase tricks and it comes with a pattern or presentation and you can do that verbatim, which most magicians will do. But your readers, I know they won’t want to be hacky.

BK: That’s where you excel. CR: If I came up to you in a tuxedo and tophat and produced a bouquet of flowers, you’re expecting that. But if I came up to you dressed the way I do and with tattoos, people don’t expect me to be anything other than a drug dealer. It’s the uniqueness of the experience, so keep that in mind this season why you blow your friend’s mind.

The reason why is you’re counting the cards. What gets you thrown out of casinos works well in magic. And this is how it works: whatever their card is, it’s going to be the number of cards on the bottom—plus one. So for our example, it’s five cards on the bottom, plus one—that’s their card. It’s really simple. Every time they match the number you're counting to, write down that card, because you could get multiple matches. Start counting on the second card. And always ignore the first card they tell you. They keep telling you cards and you count on your hands. Then, lo and behold—a match! Five and five. So let them keep naming cards and write the matches down on a piece of paper. Then give them a little presentation, what we call, “fishing.” “It wasn’t the black card, right?” You can fish to find their card. The idea is simple: no matter the card they choose, they have to put that many cards in front of it on the deck. So take away that number and count the cards. It will match up to their selection, and that is a Chris Ramsay trick you can do over the holidays.

To watch Chris Ramsay perform his trick, see kindmagazine.ca. To follow Chris on YouTube, see MrTricksforfun.

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S T O P WH AT Y OU ’ R E D O I N G A N D GO G ET A D E C K O F CA R D S T H E T O R O N T O M A G I C C O M PA N Y I S P E R F O R M I N G A T R I C K !

When the pandemic lockdown first started we thought we were screwed. As a company that produced magic shows, making a living in an increasingly-modern world was already a challenge. Now we had to find a way to survive without being able to put on live shows? Well, we didn’t just survive—we thrived. We embraced the opportunity to innovate and went from losing all our shows and refunding 800 tickets in March of 2020 to being busier than ever before. We quickly realized virtual shows offer all sorts of benefits that live shows simply couldn’t. At a virtual show, everyone gets a front row seat, everyone can participate in the show, and best of all people get to experience magic in ways they never could have at a live show. Now people can experience magic from the comfort of their own homes, at work, or even… ...while reading a magazine. And not just any magazine. THIS magazine. That’s right—it’s time for magic!

D R O P T H E M A G A Z I N E . W E S E E Y O U . W E ’ R E S E R I O U S. G O G E T A D E C K O F C A R D S.

J DU E L C 22 00 22 00

(Don’t worry - we’ll wait.) Take any NINE cards from your deck and deal them into three piles on the table, with three cards in each pile. Pick up one of the piles and put it face-down in your hand. Pick up a second pile and put it on top of those. Finally pick up the last pile and remember the bottom card of the pile - then drop it on top of the cards already in your hand.

card you selected: spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs. Drop the rest of the packet on top. Because different card names spell out with different letters (as few as 10 letters up to as many as 15) every packet is mixed up differently and your card is hopelessly lost. Thankfully, kind is here to help. Pick up all the cards and hold them in your hand. Now spell KIND, dealing one card from the top of the pile to the table for each card. K-I-N-D.

Right now everyone reading this is thinking of a different card. Don’t forget yours. Here comes the cool part. Even though you mixed the cards and we aren’t anywhere near Now you may not know this, but every card you, if this worked something amazing should in the deck has a first, middle, and last name. have happened. Turn over the top card of the We’re going to mix the cards using the name of ones left in your hand. YOUR selection. No way! It’s your card! You just did your first The first name of your card is the VALUE. Hold magic trick! the nine cards face down and spell your cards value, dealing one card down to the table for And the best part? If you memorize the steps each letter. So, if the card you chose was a to the trick, you can perform it for your friends queen, spell Q U E E N and drop the remaining and family next time you see them (in person cards on top. or on Zoom). Next, we’ll spell the middle name of the card. As it happens every card has the same middle name - OF. Pick up the packet and spell O F. As before, drop the rest of the cards on top. Next, pick up the packet and spell the suit of the

And “sharing” really is the best part of any magic trick. So if you want to share incredibly fun and mind-blowing magic with your friends, family, or company party, head to TorontoMagicCompany.com to find out how you can!

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S E A N PA U L

J US T GI MME T HE L I G H T Sean Paul waxes poetic on his classic hit, the absurdity of the Grammy Awards, and why clash culture should be cancelled

B Y J E N N S A N A S I E P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y S AVA N N A H F O R Z P H O T O G R A P H I C

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Sean Paul is an OG when it comes to dancehall music. The Jamaican artist has 19 songs that have made the Billboard Hot 100 list, he’s worked with Beyoncé—and his name is synonymous with some of the hottest tracks and greatest artists of our generation. From his home in Jamaica, Paul Zoomed with kind’s entertainment editor, Jenn Sanasie, and shit got lit.

SP: It’s one of these TikTok rhythms that came out and people started dancing to it. Rhythms, or even songs, can break on TikTok so we got together with Ir Sais and Davido and created a song about the girl of our dreams: dope vid, dope song.

Jenn Sanasie: Cannabis has really influenced your career and sound. How do you feel when you hear about legalization in different parts of the world?

JS: I know you've been making music all quarantine, what are your plans for 2021?

Sean Paul: It's bittersweet for me because my father was one of those unsung heroes and someone who used to smuggle weed. He was trying to make money and was a crazy pothead. I think people like my pops are heroes. He crashed a ganja plane in the Everglades in the early ‘80s and got deported from the US. You know, that's just unfortunate. It's just funny to see the same scientists and politicians that would lock us up are now supporting it. Regardless, change is definitely a beautiful thing to see.

JS: You’ve been releasing music throughout quarantine, tell us about your latest track, Dream Girl! It’s become really popular on TikTok.

JS: Tell me about the girl of your dreams. SP: Well, I married her, didn't I?

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JS: I really wanted to ask you about dancehall culture. You've been a part of it for so long, and the culture is very quick to label artists who become successful as sellouts. What do you think about that?

SP: I feel that everybody likes to play scrimmage in the backyard. So, we go out there and we test each other's skills. And SP: Since the pandemic hit, I've put out one some people are very dope on that level. But, single with Island Records who I'm signed put them in a big stadium, and they probably with, and I also put some songs out on my won't do that well. The reason is more own. One's called Call On Me with Tove Lo, stamina is involved, more discipline, and about family and being there for each other. more rules. I think the people who make it It came out right when the lockdown started, out of the small pond are the real gangsters. which was cool, because it's saying, ‘Call on So I'm comfortable in my skin, I know that me, Zoom me!’ You know what I mean? It's I played the game. I did well. And then I kind of saying, ‘Stay in touch and I'll be there broke internationally. There’s a lot of people for you.’ I think this year is a survival year, in the world who want to hear music that especially for me. I have asthma, and I'm not makes them feel good. I use the three L's: I playing with this thing, man. look, listen and learn. And I tried to be very humble, no matter how big I got. JS: Before the interview you were telling me about your intense cleaning habits. I’m imagining you surviving by cleaning everything, all the time. SP: I've got a little alcohol bottle and I spray

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everything. When I go to the studio, I spray the earphones, I spray the microphone and the puff guard and spray up the AC vent because this enemy is the worst one, you can't see it. I treat it like it’s everywhere.

JS: Everything about this Zoom is very humble to me. You’re literally just sitting in your living room. Which I am very appreciative of. I read that you said you’re not a fan of clashing, can you talk to me

“ It was 2003. I won a Grammy that evening and performed with Sting and you won't JS: You are an elder in the industry, with so believe this but many accolades and awards to your name. they didn't have How does that feel? seats for us.” SP: We see everyone using our sound, but we don't get the accolades. I can tell you about when I won my Grammy. It was 2003. I won a Grammy that evening and I also performed with Sting, and you won’t believe this, but they didn't have seats for us.

JS: What!? SP: Me or my crew, I guess we were just seen as little regular guys, and we had to sit

JS: It’s all about peace and love. I need you to clear something up for me. Everybody thinks you either lived in Canada or you are from Canada, what’s the story? SP: In 1976, my Chinese-Jamaican grandfather, who was a doctor, went to Canada. By '78, all the rest of the family, except for my mom, and her sister moved there. We had cousins, aunts and uncles

in Scarborough, ON. I remember in 1984, Ghostbusters came out. We didn't have colour TVs when I was a kid here, and I saw it for the first time in Canada. I remember Canada's Wonderland, and the CN Tower, like that shit was a world like, ‘Wow.’ We didn't have nothing like that in Jamaica!

JS: Any other Canadian memories? SP: One of my grandfathers of hip hop, Kardinal Offishall is Canadian, and he gave me one of my first paying jobs. He came to me, and was like, ‘You want a single?’ He was one of the first people to pay me, honest to God. I gotta praise him for that. He paid me $2,000 USD for a verse on Money Jane. At that time, that was a lot of money for me!

JS: Gimme The Light was a big part of weed culture. It was all about smoking and having a great time. 20 years later, how do you remember the song? SP: It’s still a hot song. That just proves the music. I remember the producer, he was based out of Miami, he asked me, ‘How much are you gonna charge me to voice a rhythm?’ I was like, ‘$1,000 USD,’ but he only had $800 USD. He was about to leave to go back to Miami, but I really needed that eight bills, so we went into the studio.

JS: Wow, $200 almost lost us that track?! SP: I didn’t know what I was going to sing about. At the time, I had a big fan base in Manhattan. I went there every Thursday and Friday. In Jamaica, we weren't busting bottles of Moet, we would buy a crate of Guinness and put it on the ground. And I was like, ‘You know what? I don't have lyrics to spit, I'm going to talk about that.’ So, I was just freestyling ‘Just gimme the light and pass the dro, bust anotha bokkle of Moe.’ I was talking about last weekend in Manhattan. I just thought the song was something I was gonna make money off, then it would disappear. And here we are 20 years later. I have quite a few songs like that. Dope.

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outside in a caravan. I watched Black Eyed Peas walk past me on the red carpet. I just SP: I’d rather celebrate younger artists walked it myself. And I was told, ‘That's your that are coming up instead of thinking I caravan.’ I asked, ‘So I don't get to go inside gotta clash them and get rid of them early. and watch the show? And when it's my time You know what I mean? I'd rather build to perform I have to go in and come back champions than kill champions, which is out?’ They were like, ‘Yeah.’ I was pissed off. what Supercat used to say. He's my mentor in People were calling me, saying ‘Congrats.’ the business. He's my father in the business. And I was like, ‘You will never believe it, I'm outside the fucking Staples Center.’ You know what I mean? I take that as discrimination. JS: Your perspective is one that needs to be talked about more. JS: It’s infuriating because you’re the star SP: In Jamaican culture, it’s very hardcore. of the show and you have to stay outside. It's not just a ‘your mama’ joke. It's like, ‘I will bust your head open.’ Some of my own SP: Beyoncé came to do work with me. Busta friends have died by gun violence, I've had Rhymes was doing work with me. In 2006, I to bury them. And so coming to music now, I won an American Music Award and I treasure don't want to see that no more. I don't want that award a lot more than the Grammy, to know my friend got nine shots and was because I was able to go on the stage and suffering for air on the ground. thank the world on behalf of my culture, on behalf of reggae and dancehall music. The Grammys gave me a thing which I'm JS: Do you personally get involved still with honoured to have, but they didn't honour the scene to promote non-violence? me. And at that time I was the hottest artist on the planet. SP: I have to be a role model. There's a Ghanaian artist called Stonebwoy, who clashed with Shatta Wale a couple weeks ago. I had to call Stonebwoy and be like, ‘Bro, no matter what happens, remember that dude is your brother.’ He was like, ‘Wow, no one said that to me before.’ I gotta say that right now I'm, I'm an elder in the music industry.

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more about that?

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THE L AVI$H LI F E How switching cities and diets helped one of Canada’s most exciting young musicians thrive B Y J E N N S A N A S I E P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y T Y L E R A N D E R S O N

23-year-old musician, Lavi$h, made the move from Winnipeg, MB, to Toronto, ON, 18 months ago to pursue his career in music. Coming from a smaller city like Winnipeg, Lavi$h says, “It’s been amazing, I’ve met so many new people and received so many opportunities.” “When you come from a small city, most of your support is on social media, so you don’t get that much physical attention and fans,” he says, adding that he has been able to put together an amazing team to help him jumpstart his career in Toronto. Toronto has been praised by the music industry as one of the hottest hubs for music production. Lavi$h says the move has been more of a refresh for him rather than a restart. “Toronto is more about the culture, and is a bigger platform for what I want to do,” the young musician says from his home. Lavi$h describes himself as a rapper, singer, songwriter and all-around artist. Despite multiple offers from major record labels, he has decided to remain independent so that he can keep working on his craft and maintain creative control of his music and image. He takes his artistry very seriously, and doesn’t want that watered down by the machine that is a major record label.

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Other young musicians message him on social media all the time, and while he responds and also shares his responses on social media, he says he doesn’t want to be praised for it. “It’s just basic human decency,” he says, as he reflects on the time he takes to give advice to other artists. “Moving a whole family from the third world is not easy, my parents did that. So, for that I owe them—I aim to be the greatest in the world, for them.” While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the world down, it hasn’t slowed down Lavi$h. He has used the time to focus on his health, and continues to create at least three songs everyday from his home studio. kind entertainment editor, Jenn Sanasie, caught up with him at home to live the life of a young artist in quarantine.

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After Lavi$h brushes his teeth, showers and finishes his morning routine, he sits down at his computer and starts recording. “When I sit down to record a song, I always finish it, whenever I start a song, two hours and I’m done,” the musician says. “If I don’t finish it, I delete it.” For him, it’s all about the process. His home studio looks out over the financial district in Toronto, as the buildings tower over us on an overcast day, his voice cuts through the gloomy mood, filling the condo with creative energy. His roommate and best friend, Obi Nnadi, is also from Winnipeg and is one of Lavi$h’s biggest supporters. Obi often appears in his best friend’s music videos, and could be described as a “live-in hype man.”

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After lunch, he sits back down at his computer and throws a music video on TV. Obi sits on the couch and the two talk about their plans for the day. Lavi$h’s upcoming single, “I Got It,” and Obi’s plans for his personal training business, Lift With Obi.

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For lunch, Lavi$h whips up a vegan chilli. While browning his Beyond Beef Crumbles, he says he took up a plant-based diet during the pandemic, and admits he was influenced by, “someone very special.”

“He makes it easier to stay in shape,” Lavi$h says, talking about his roommate. Obi has been building his own personal training brand, and motivates Lavi$h to maintain his workout routine. Since gyms have been harder to access during quarantine, the two usually work out in city parks or go for runs. The clouds and rain didn’t stop these two while we were there, using a simple set up in their living room, they made sure that they got their workout in.

“I recently switched my diet from eating whatever, to being vegan,” the rapper says, adding that if he didn’t make the switch, he feels like he would have gained quarantine weight. “When I get hungry now, I eat plantbased. I eat vegetables. I’m eating healthy food,” he says, reiterating that he strives for a healthy body and mind so that he can create to his full potential. Kitchen towel tucked into his pants, the musician chops vegetables to add to his chilli while he listens to grime—his favourite genre. It’s a whole vibe.

What’s next? Rinse and repeat, these two said they were just going to do it all over again. Lavi$h sat down to record after getting inspiration during his workout, and Obi got on the phone to start returning calls he missed during the shoot. Later they would have another meal, talk shop and if the rain let up—venture out into the city for some air. It’s just one of the ways that Lavi$h stays fresh.

“Moving a whole family from the third world is not easy, my parents did that. So for that I owe them—I aim to be the greatest in the world, for them.”

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Although he’s fierce about his independence, he understands that to achieve his goals of being one of the top artists in the world, he’ll eventually need to go through the industry gatekeepers. Today however, he’s not ready to do that, and is focused on growing his already loyal fan base and releasing singles that showcase his talent. He says he’s motivated by achieving financial freedom for himself and his family and by being a mentor to other young artists, just like him.

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THE DIRTY NIL

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STAY ING ALIV E The Dirty Nil’s highly anticipated and aptly titled album, Fuck Art, is the rowdy, energetic good omen we need for the new year. Vanessa Dumais discusses radical new feel-good art with lead singer and guitarist Luke Bentham. B Y

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“It’s been a new, interesting challenge that’s really put our creative capacity to the test.” With the perfect album title to bid 2020 a firm adieu and ring in a fresh year, Fuck Art, The Nil’s fourth full-length LP, will be released on January 1st, 2021. “It’s kind of our battle flag right now,” says Bentham, “It was conceived before the pandemic, but it seems quite appropriate now. There are no rules, you shouldn’t be limited.” The JUNOaward winning band from Dundas, Ontario, is one of Canada’s punishing punk rock acts that hook you. Their loud, energetic anthems and attitude are contagious and full of clever, ear-splitting riffs. The Nil was recording their album in March when the pandemic panic reached a crescendo. Their producer, who is from Seattle, was flown back home on the last plane out before the borders closed. The studio in Toronto remained open for two more days and would enter an indefinite shutdown. “‘Well, do we power through, or do we put this on indefinite pause?’ We

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decided on the former, and I did all the guitars in two days,” says Bentham. “When it was over, we kind of collapsed into each other's arms and cried tears of joy.” As the follow up to their critically-acclaimed 2018 release Master Volume, the band has been working hard to hone their sound and skills with their upcoming release. “It’s the most dynamic thing we’ve ever done in terms of quietest moments, and our prettiest, ugliest moments all combined. It’s been a hell of a ride and we’re ready for people to hear it.”

“ These little sessions that we were doing were really the only kind of moments of true productivity and achievement and accomplishment that we felt that month.” The vocal tracks were recorded and produced in April across borders and time zones. “It’s an amazing time to be alive in terms of technology, but the capacity for

miscommunication was certainly highlighted […] especially when you’re describing sound, it’s really easy to do when you’re in the room, and say ‘a little more of this, a little less of that,’” says Bentham.“These little sessions that we were doing were really the only kind of moments of true productivity and achievement and accomplishment that we felt that month. The only real sense of forward momentum we felt with our lives.” Not all of 2020 was endured with bated breath, it was also riddled with progressive milestones. While cannabis has been legal in Canada for over two years, several American states are forging forward on the same path. Bentham spoke about the progress over the last few years, “It’s exciting to be part of a time where legislation begins to resemble public sentiment, which is always a very slow and laborious process, but it’s exciting to have witnessed that tipping point.” In 2017, The Nil won Breakthrough Artist Of The Year at the JUNOS. Their acceptance speech was succinct, hilarious, and memorable: “Weed rules.” While the speech itself is rather direct, Bentham says he’s a more subdued

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consumer when it comes to cannabis products, particularly of the peanut butter and chocolate variety. “Just nibbles to teeter off into the abyss.” “Honestly it’s not the worst year I’ve ever had,” says Bentham. The band has been finding time to explore other avenues of creativity and trying to embrace the slower pace and stay grounded. “I’ve been painting, cooking a lot. Reading about the history of the Spanish Flu because there’s some obvious parallels. Reading about how hard people have had it in history is certainly a humbling thing.” Fellow bandmates Ross Miller and Kyle Fisher continued to produce music this year together under the moniker, Instruments of Death. With more time at home, Bentham mentioned some of his favourite new records of the year from Metz, IDLES and Angel Olsen. Due to COVID-19, live music screeched to a stand-still, and musicians have had to find new ways to create. “It’s been inspiring to see other bands try and circumvent the circumstances rather than sit in a bomb

shelter and say, ‘Well, we’re just going to wait for this to blow over,’ because I think the uncomfortable reality of the situation is things aren’t going to blow over,” says Bentham. With the magic of the internet, The Dirty Nil created the “Dancing 2 Thrash” tour, transporting themselves to fourteen different venues across North America with the help of a green screen and stock footage. Each date was streamed live on the web with unique performances from the bandmate’s home. While the band is respectful and cautious of the pandemic protocols for large gatherings, they’re eager to get back to a packed house when it’s safe. “A lot of people are depending on it, and a lot of people are depending on it for quality of life reasons, people like going to shows,” says Bentham. “It makes them feel alive.” After a particularly introspective and existential year, a record full of heavy riffs and humour is what we all need. “Even when we spit seemingly nihilistic sentiments like that, there’s a grin with it. It’s to be taken with a grain of salt,” says Bentham. “It’s to make people happy. It’s to make you smile.”

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K I N D F AV O U R I T E A L B U M S

BE S T A L B U MS OF 2 0 2 0 This dumpster fire of a year is coming to a close and we’re reflecting on all the things we did in 2020. Maybe it wasn’t the most exciting year of all time but if nothing else it’s been a great year for music. New albums from big names like The Weeknd, DaBaby, Pearl Jam and Taylor Swift kept us going through these tough times. We’ve rounded up some of 2020’s hottest releases and curated soundtracks to get you through your day-to-day for the rest of the year. At least we have music.

BEST ALBUMS TO COOK TO With restrictions placed on favourite local bars and restaurants, we are all spending more time in the kitchen cooking those three meals a day. Whether you are jumping on the bread making bandwagon or cracking a fresh box of Kraft Dinner, things just taste better with a spicy playlist. Test your recipes with these tasty albums.

6PC HOT EP 6LACK

THE SPEED OF NOW VOL 1 KEITH URBAN

RARE SELENA GOMEZ

NOTES ON A CONDITIONAL FORM THE 1975

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G I G AT O N PEARL JAM

BEST ALBUMS TO EXERCISE TO

BEST ALBUMS TO GET HIGH TO

Let’s face it, home workouts just aren’t the same – no friends pushing you through, no trainers to motivate you – just you in your living room trying not to kick your cat as you do your jumping jacks. Music motivation is key to get yourself going. Add these albums to your workout routine, you won’t be sorry. You might have to apologize to your neighbours later.

Never was there a better year to smoke legal weed than 2020. If you’re looking to get hyped or relax, we’ve listed the perfect new albums to enhance the experience. Grab your favourite munchies, light up and let these albums do the rest.

CROWN LANDS CROWN LANDS

COLORES J B A LV I N

BLAME IT ON BABY (DELUXE) DABABY

LEGENDS NEVER DIE JUICE WRLD

TICKETS TO MY DOWNFALL MACHINE GUN K E L LY

ENERGY DISCLOSURE

CHILOMBO (DELUXE) JHENÉ AIKO

DETROIT 2 BIG SEAN

SHOOT FOR THE S TA R S A I M F O R THE MOON POP SMOKE

LIMBO AMINÉ

MANIC HALSEY

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>>> BEST ALBUMS TO VIBE TO

BEST ALBUMS TO SET THE MOOD TO

Friday nights hit differently in lockdown. We couldn’t enjoy these smooth, soulful albums in clubs this year but paired with the right cocktail you can still vibe out at home.

Need some help getting in the mood? We’ve got the soundtrack for you. If quarantine hasn’t been enough of an aphrodisiac, try cuddling up to one of these hot new albums. Turn them up to turn it on.

SPECTRUM EP Z A C H Z O YA

SESSION 2: T R A NS F O RMAT I ON EP EMANUEL

POSITIONS ARIANA GRANDE

OPIA EP S AVA N N A H R É

HIDDEN GEMS TA S H A ANGELA

THE SLOW RUSH TA M E I M PA L A

DREAM AWAKE BLACK AT L A S S

DARK LANE D E M O TA P E S DRAKE

SYNTHETIC SOUL CHIIILD

BE FOR E LO V E C A ME T O K IL L U S JESSIE REYEZ

AFTER HOURS THE WEEKND

BEST ALBUMS TO HELP WITH THE BLUES

BEST ALBUMS TO SING ALONG TO

There is something cathartic about putting on a pair of headphones and blasting the blues out of you. Some big names dropped albums this year for exactly that purpose so get out those headphones, grab a box of tissues and let these albums wash it all away.

“It’s scientifically proven that singing makes you feel better” – Bill Nye (I think). Even if that’s not a fact, it’s a blissful escape from the mundane day-to-day to sing-along to some fresh new tracks and these albums will have you singing like we’re not in a global pandemic.

FOLKLORE TAY L O R SWIFT

HEARTBREAK W E AT H E R NIALL HORAN

C H R O M AT I C A LADY GAGA

GOOD INTENTIONS N AV

LOVE GOES SAM SMITH

BROKEN PERFECTION EP ANNA SOFIA

CHANGES JUSTIN BIEBER

SMILE K AT Y P E R R Y

BRIGHTEST BLUE ELLIE GOULDING

CAMPFIRE CHORDS ARKELLS

DREAMLAND GLASS ANIMALS

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2020 PODCASTS

BEST POD CA S TS O F 202 0 Ricky Liorti and George Boutsalis aren’t only podcast hosts but also huge fans of the medium. In the spirit of the 2020 kind awards, we asked them to doll out their own awards to some of their favourite shows.

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KINDEST CELEBRIT Y PODCAST

It would be rude not to appoint this to the King of Podcasts, Joe Rogan, who paved the Kind, funny, sarcastic, witty, Conan does way for so many of us to get into the industry. it all. Regardless of your mood you can He also lights an occasional joint and gets into always listen to some Conan. some deep conversations with his guests.

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K I N D E S T P O D C A S T A B O U T F O O D Matty Matheson is arguably the most influential chef in Toronto, maybe all of Canada. He brings punk and personality to cooking which makes for an entertaining listen.

WINNER: THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE

WINNER: CONAN O’BRIEN NEEDS A FRIEND

WINNER: POWERFUL TRUTH ANGELS

C A N A D I A N P O D C A S T T H AT ' S S O R E LY O V E R L O O K E D

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K I N D E S T P O D C A S T F O R M E N TA L H E A LT H AW A R E N E S S

Who doesn’t love a true crime, urban legend, and dark history podcast? WINNER: DARK POUTINE

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon are legends, and have an incredible rapport. They also don’t often agree which gives you two different perspectives on the previous days sports news. WINNER: PA R D O N T H E INTERRUPTION

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Call Your Girlfriend - Every week, Aminatou Sow and Ann Freidman highlight women who are agents, creators, movers, and shakers who have smart, interesting things to say. Highbrow and lowbrow, fiercely opinionated, and not afraid to realtalk each other about everything.

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Sarah Nicole brings some wisdom, kindness, and personality to podcasting. If you need some vibes or a little inspiration give this a listen. WINNER: T H E P A P AYA PROJECT

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N O W Naval - Naval Ravikant might be a modern day philosopher. His episodes are summaries of his thoughts, and Tweets, and he breaks them up into short 2-3 minute episodes. An easy, yet thought provoking listen.

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A PO DCA S T THAT GETS BY W ITH A L IT TLE H ELP F RO M TWO FRIEN DS Introducing The Pal’s Podcast, a perfect friend for tough times B Y

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The Pal's Podcast started in January 2020 and is hosted by Ricky Liorti and George Boutsalis, two young guys who love sports, music, food and social interactions. The Pal’s Podcast focuses on topics relating to sports, career/entrepreneurship, food, health/ fitness and travel. Although they launched at the beginning of 2020, they’ve received amazing feedback and have confirmed some high profile Canadians to be featured on their show. They’ve spoken with MLS superstar Jonathan Osorio, NHLer's Erik Gudbranson and Mark Fraser, Olympic Gold Medalists Donovan Bailey, Penny Oleksiak, Eric Radford, and more. Ben Kaplan caught up with host Ricky Liorti before the podcaster went on-air.

BK: Why do you think podcasts are currently so popular? RL: People like variety and flexibility. Podcasts give listeners the ability to listen to any show, personality, or topic at any time. On top of this, as the world becomes busier, an attribute people value within themselves is multitasking. The podcast format gives consumers the opportunity to achieve their daily tasks while having the ability to listen to content on the go.

sitting down with a former NHL player and discussing new endeavours in crypto currency, and the next we are talking to a Toronto restaurateur powerhouse. We keep our listeners on their toes, and divulge in a wide spread of social issues, sports, as well as finance, lifestyle, and entertaining topics.

BK: What is the genesis of your show, and what elements seem to be connected? RL: We know that our dynamic alone was something special. Consistently bringing on guests that can add substance to an episode, gave us an extra edge when penetrating the podcast market. We also do our best not to ask cliche interview questions. Our aim is to try and tap into a side of each guest that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.

BK: Give us the backdrop of an episode you feel indicative of your vision—what made it work, and where would you go next?

RL: Our episode with Penny Oleksiak put this genesis on full display. When we sat down with her we knew we didn’t want to bring up the same questions she has been repeatedly asked. As the episode progresses we find out that she’s not just terrified of sharks, but she’s afraid to swim in any open BK: What do you think you could add to the body of water. Think about that… she is one crowded milieu? of the top swimmers in the world, Canada's youngest Olympic champion, owns an RL: The Pal’s Podcast takes great pride in Olympic Record, and she is scared to SWIM in the variety of our topics. One day we are open water. Who would’ve thought?

BK: We love the Penny Oleksiak episode. Has COVID-19 changed your show? RL: As creators, we had to think outside of the box on how to make our show livelier, in order to fill that void in people’s lives. When the pandemic hit, The Pal’s Podcast was only a couple months old. However, instead of stressing about how we are going to grow, we dug our heels into the foundation we had built. We aimed to bring good vibes and positivity.

BK: Is the playing field being equaled for start-ups against the larger corporate brands? RL: You see millennials more intrigued to support the start-ups and find the smaller companies with substance. Even though it may be harder for start-ups to get the initial traction, when a product is good and led by creators with purpose, it’ll find its audience.

BK: You’re reaching people picking up this magazine in a legal licensed cannabis retailer. Speak directly to someone who may have purchased a pack of edibles or a pre-rolled joint. What makes your show a good listen while stoned? RL: We want to create an environment while listening that you’re just one of “the pals,” sitting back, and being part of a stimulating conversation that has no boundaries. I think if you’ve heard one of our episodes before you’d know the vibes don’t lie.

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JACQUI CHILDS' H O L I D AY GIFT GUIDE The kind columnist takes a moment to recognize brands, and people, that are kind

When first coming out as a proud cannabis consumer, like some of us, I lost friends and clients. I was called names, and received hurtful messages. Thanks to cannabis, I now look at things differently, I practice patience and calm. Just try and get me to react negatively after an infused treat. Now I understand the stigma, but refuse to be victimized. The cannabis community is a diverse community of inspiring humans. I've been welcomed, felt seen and heard. I've been celebrated and empowered and for that, I have so much gratitude. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some people, places and things that make me feel good. The gifts I've received from the cannabis plant are far too great to be put in mere words. I'm living the healthiest life ever. I cook infused meals with passion, which is funny because I never cooked before. I travel and look at the world so differently, I actually experience it. I am aware, truly aware of the blessings the plant has given me. With eyes and heart wide open, I see you, I see all of you. Just like that, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re part of something bigger. While most of us will experience a much different holiday season, I hope you still find time to see the good, the gifts and lessons that are all around us. The gifts that cannabis and the community give us all. May your holiday be GREEN and LIT.

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HIGH 1 H AV E N While trying to navigate life the best I can, especially during such uncomfortable times, I recognize how blessed I am in so many ways. My friend W has been one of the most inspiring humans I've met in the cannabis community and perhaps in life. We definitely have a bond and I'm so honoured to call her a friend. Her company is highhaven.ca

S H AT T E R I Z E R

It was just after legalization that I met, let's call them M and V, and they were extremely welcoming and kind to me. After a few weeks of friendship, M and V invited me to an event in Montreal. The contacts I made at that event soon became the sponsors and brands I would work with for months and years to come. I'm so thankful to M and V. Their company is Shatterizer: shatterizer.ca

SPORING 3 C O M PA N Y While posting and sharing my love for cannabis all over social media, a gentleman reached out to me about his start-up and wanted to chat business. Again, weeks and months later, we became great friends. I have spent countless hours with themâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in and out of the garden. They are D and A. Their company is sporingcompany.com K E L LY S G R E E N 4 LOUNGE Three years ago I became pharmaceutical free, thanks to cannabis and plant medicine and the stars definitely had aligned, when I met this next beautiful soul. My friend K has created a welcoming and kind community in a tiny little town in Southern Ontario. The lounge is a place to learn and gather. A place to grow and evolve. The lounge works in the community and online, helping to end the stigma and create change. My sister from another mister, K owns and runs kellysgreenlounge.ca

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COLUMNISTS

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ELIAS’ PICKS FOR T H E H O L I D AY S Elias Theodorou, a kind magazine columnist, is the first professional athlete to receive a medical license to consume cannabis and compete in his sport. Here, the 32-year-old MMA fighter recommends six great holiday gifts. 1

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STORZ & BICKEL MIGHTY 1 P O R TA B L E VA P O R I Z E R As both an athlete and patient, my medical cannabis needs require a mighty focus on my dosing routine. Thankfully, with the Mighty vape (plus an 8 chamber dose pack) in my corner and in my pocket, I have the peace of mind that my medicine will last as long as I do throughout the day. USG FIGHT 2 GEAR is always a must in my toolbox—well, gym bag. With my own USG leather signature gloves, this gear literally has my name on it. Pretty much decked from head to toe, punching and kicking the day away never felt better. HEMP ENERGY 3 DRINK I’ve been told I run off energy drinks and compliments, and thankfully Hemp Energy Drink works well with my busy, fast-paced schedule. Whether it’s 7 a.m. on set or three

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hours at the gym, Hemp Energy Drink fuels second and third winds with none of the “crash” associated with traditional energy beverages. Hemp Energy Drink, the first to market hemp energy drink in Canada, like me, just hits differently. It’s available nationwide at hempedupdrinks.com. UBC 4 MEMBERSHIP United Boxing Club is my second home. Putting in work and sweat equity is something I do here twice a day, every day, getting ready for all my next fights. Welcome to all, UBC is one of Toronto’s top martial arts gyms. Why not give health this year for the holidays? CURBSIDE 5 FOODIES Diet is the key to getting ready for the first fight of a training camp: the scale. But with the right meals, snacks and preparation, I can enjoy the 20 pounds of weight loss process. Especially knowing I get to put it back on

after weigh-ins. The meals from Curbside are nutritious and delicious, like Ginger Sesame Salmon and Thyme Chicken Roast. RAW 6 PA P E R S When I get my flower of choice, I use RAW for my rolling pleasures. Both work wonders, and will help me ring in the holidays and the new year. C B D S PA PA C K A G E 7 F R O M I WA S PA CBD is widely known to ease muscular tension, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and anxiety. The calming, soothing effects of CBD in these treatments are the perfect pairing designed to quiet the mind and relax the body. Included in this package is a Flower Power CBD Sole Revival Pedicure which will invigorate your tired feet, and a Head in the Clouds CBD Massage that will lull you into full body swellness. Products are THC-free for no intoxicating effects.

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Join us for the ride Promos, previews, swag, and an instagram community of beautiful kind minds like yourself.

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“ WHAT IF THIS HAD WEED IN IT?” The funny people behind the Houseplant line talk about Canadian legalization and our industry making amends B Y

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is it about these products that you love? BK: This issue of kind Magazine is coming out just after October 17, the second anniversary of cannabis legalization in Canada. How proud are you of your country? Evan Goldberg: Canada is the first major industrial nation in the world to federally legalize cannabis, and every country in the world should follow in its path. However, all of us involved in cannabis—individuals, legal teams, politicians and non-profits—need to step up and help those unjustly incarcerated, and to address racial injustices that have existed around cannabis-related arrests and incarcerations. In Canada, the government had estimated that 10,000 people could be eligible for a free pardon for simple pot possession. You know how many have been granted so far? 257.

BK: What still needs to be done to really make the end of prohibition a success? Seth Rogen: They’ve made it that it’s incredibly difficult to go from having an illegal cannabis business to a legal one. If the goal is really to kill the illicit market and have weed be closer to alcohol, there’s a long road to travel. There’s a reason that there isn't a huge illegal alcohol industry anymore: there’s no incentive for there to be one. They’ve made it easy to sell legal alcohol, and the same should be said with cannabis, but currently, that is not the case.

BK: I’m going to open a Houseplant Grapefruit while writing this question. What

SR: We drink sparkling water all day every day, and we thought “what if this had weed in it?” We were passionate about creating a delicious, guilt free (no sugar and almost no calories) option for people who love to drink things and don’t want to wake up feeling like shit the next morning.

BK: What’s next for the line? Where do you see great legal canadian cannabis heading? EG: We’d love to produce more beverage flavours, and explore new strains of cannabis.

BK: How involved are each of you with the brand? If I open a sativa pre-roll, can you vouch that I will not be smoking schwaggy, seedy weed? SR: I’m incredibly involved in every aspect of the brand. Speaking of pre-rolls, I remember buying and dissecting every pre-roll on the Canadian market to see what was working and what wasn’t. We use the same flower in our pre-rolls as our jars, and we found that two smaller half gram joints smoked much better than one big gram joint.

BK: Houseplant Grapefruit seems to be working wonders. What’s the origin of this recipe? Is there a backstory you can share? EG: Seth loves grapefruit sparkling water and

I love lemon sparkling water. We both love being high. And we both hate sugary drinks and unnecessary crap in our drinks. Canopy’s unique emulsion process to make Houseplant beverages is unlike anything else on the market.

BK: How has cannabis played a role in your friendship, a longstanding lovefest from blockbuster films to a company making a grapefruit cannabis-infused drink getting me high? SR: I smoke weed all day every day and have for the last 20 years. It’s an intrinsic part of my day to day functionality. It’s been a true inspiration to me and over the years, we’ve found that if we sit down and try to put more thought into the space than anyone else, we can accomplish great things. We have a vision for where we think cannabis should go, and the beverages were a part of that vision.

BK: Lastly, some of your stuff, most of it, actually, features cannabis, and now it’s legal in Canada. Do you think your films helped usher in the end of the demise of 100 years of prohibition? EG: If anything, we helped break some of the stigmas associated with cannabis. That it makes you lazy, stupid, unproductive, unemotional, forgetful—literally we’ve found none of that to be true. We’ve always been proud that we smoke weed, and sunlight is the best disinfectant. So If anything, we hope we added to a truer narrative about weed.

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ACROSS Restaurant in a folkie tune Order to clean out one's desk, say This country: Abbr. "Nothing to report" GPS offerings Published, as an ad Prison wardens? ___ need-to-know basis Kickoffs to long weekends: Abbr. Cook in a 350Â°F oven, say Money that can buy freedom "Ali ___ and the Forty Thieves" Prison with flimsy walls and laughable locks? Vodka drink at a Tiki bar Supporters of the arts? Man. clock setting Supertramp's "Crime ___ Century" Snatcher's target Prison guard's toxic workplace? "The ___ Aquarius" "When pigs fly!" Throw in Brightened naturally Clover Leaf smoked item Swear off going back to prison? Lifts up a skirt?

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DOWN Mandela's pol. org. Plant-based skin scrubbers Circling, as a satellite ___ disease (gluten-related illness) Feta cheese milk sources Many a -stan ctry., once Go ballistic "May ___ your order?" Unwanted photography pupil? Frowned-on suffix, these days Singer with a sore throat, maybe Noted Trump acquaintance Stormy Study in great detail

Plato's promenade Yearly physical, for one Sex at a stag party Way off Prison proprietors? Whitehorse's Terr. Smelter stuff Garfunkel and Carney Bit in a Lowney's Glosette Blog feed letters '90s video game island Daisy type or soft drink brand

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"Game of Thrones" channel Deckhand boss Secretly keep in an email loop '60s stereo system Very thin, as onionskin Go on foot, slangily Armchair athlete's Cdn. channel You might hit the dirt with it Card carrying item: Abbr. "... yellow ___ dot bikini" Bottom-rung drudge Demands, but nicely Geddy Lee's 250 or so Ovation rewards, often Had smaller servings Point that's a strike against Titles for Ph.Ds TV's "The Big Bang ___" Twain with a twang Areas noted by nervous flyers Is able to, to Shakespeare Cheque fig. "Kisses, dahling!" Photocopying snag Places you leave in stitches, for short? 59 Winter fall, to a Scot

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