LOS ANGELE S
remembering
THE NEW NORMAL
4.2018
SPECIAL
DENNIS
PERON
Founding Father of
Medical Marijuana
ISSUE
dear BRADLEY Tribute to Late Sublime Singer
{PLUS}
Bradley Nowell
420 Events Listing Fusion on the Fly + More
ICON
OGRA
PHY
FAN of the
LEAF from Counterculture Symbol to Marketing Cliché
ISSUE 4 // VOLUME 1 // 04.2018
contents
FEATURES 18
24
Iconography of the Fan Leaf
The pointy cannabis leaf, once a badge of the counterculture, may be in danger of becoming an overused marketing tool and cringe-worthy cliché in legal states.
10
R.I.P. DENNIS Remembering Cali’s cannabis crusader.
Dear Bradley
An open letter to late Sublime singer Bradley Nowell from his former manager and friend Jon Phillips on what would have been his 50th birthday.
32
ISSUE
EVERY 5 Editor’s Note 6 TheBuzz 1 0 NewsFeed
REMEMBERING
DENNIS PERON
14 TasteBuds
CHINO DELIVERY
3 2 {SoLA} C APITOL BUILDING
Sensi Los Angeles is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 3
sensi magazine ISSUE 4 VOLUME 1
4.2018
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4 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
FOREFATHERS of
editor’s
420
NOTE
OTHER THAN IT’S ICONIC SEVEN-POINTED LEAF, THERE’S NO MORE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED SYMBOL OF CANNABIS—AND THE CULTURE THAT SURROUNDS IT—THAN THE NUMBER 420.
Despite early confusion regarding its origin, the
nabis Buyer’s Club—the nation’s first cannabis col-
term 420 has been traced back over 40 years to a
lective, providing free medicine to those in need. It
group of teenagers known as The Waldos who would
was there that Peron, along with a cadre of patients,
meet each day after school at 4:20 to get high and
providers, politicos, and protestors drafted the his-
go hunting for a secret cannabis garden. This meet-
toric initiative called Proposition 215. In November
ing time quickly morphed into their secret code for
1996, after years of tireless effort by Peron and grass-
all things reefer-related. Over time, 420 was adopt-
roots organizations throughout the state, Prop 215
ed and propagated first by the Deadhead commu-
was voted into law—beginning the era of medical
nity and then High Times magazine, until eventually,
marijuana in America.
it evolved beyond the stoner subculture and into the
Sadly, Peron passed away earlier this year—mere
mainstream mindscape. That’s why, each year on April
weeks after the legalization that his dedication and
20, millions of cannabis enthusiasts around the world
sacrifices paved the way for went into effect. So regard
gather together to toke up, speak out and get down.
less of how you choose to celebrate the high holiday,
Yes, believe it or not, it all began at a high school in
I hope you’ll join me in a moment of silence at 2 :15
San Rafael, California back in 1971.
p.m. to honor the memory of our community’s fallen
Meanwhile, around the same time as The Waldos were inadvertently birthing the greatest marijuana meme of all time, a gay Vietnam veteran named Dennis Peron was restarting his life as a hippie pot
founding father. Happy 4/20 everyone.
Highest regards,
dealer just across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Peron transformed his apartment into a sort of cannabis commune, where like-minded people could socialize, organize, cop a lid and get high. That space served as the inspiration for what would two decades later become the San Francisco Can-
Bobby Black
SoCAL EDITOR @ BOBBYBL ACK
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sensimag.com APR I L 2018 5
THE NE W N O R M A L
sensi
concert
CALENDAR A brief listing of some of the top shows in and around Los Angeles this month. 4/4 Matt and Kim — Hollywood Palladium 4/5 Story of the Year — Teragram Ballroom 4/6 The Breeders — The Theater at Ace Hotel 4/7 Haim — Santa Barbara Bowl 4/13 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. The Weeknd — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/14 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. Beyoncé — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/15 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. Eminem — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/16 Alt-J w/Borns — Santa Barbara Bowl 4/20 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. The Weeknd — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/20 Air Supply — Saban Theater 4/21 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. Beyoncé — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/21 Portugal the Man, Chicano Batman, Deap
Vally — Santa Barbara Bowl 4/21 Krush Groove featuring Ice Cube, Bone
Thugs-N-Harmony, and more — The Forum 4/21 Dashboard Confessional w/ Beach Slang
— Hollywood Palladium 4/22 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival
Feat. Eminem — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/22 Bad Bunny —The Forum 4/22 Party in the Parking Lot Feat. Lynch Mob,
Faster Pussycat — Rainbow Bar & Grill 4/25 Big Sean — The Greek Theater 4/26 The Wailers — The Canyon Santa Clarita 4/27 Stagecoach Festival Feat. Florida Georgia
Line, Jake Owen — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/28–4/29 Justin Timberlake — The Forum 4/28 Stagecoach Festival Feat. Keith Urban,
Kacey Musgraves — Empire Polo Club, Indio 4/29 Stagecoach Festival Feat. Garth Brooks,
Trisha Yearwood — Empire Polo Club, Indio 6 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
the
buzz
HIGH HOLIDAY 4/20 FESTIVITIES
What began with a nerdy group of San Rafael teenagers calling themselves The Waldos meeting to search for a lost pot garden after school back in 1971 has since evolved into a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Today, the number 420 has become synonymous with cannabis, making 4:20 the preferred time of day to toke up and April 20 (4/20) the official day of education and celebration for cannabis lovers everywhere. As the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis has continued to expand, so too have the 4/20 celebrations. The secret seshes of the past have fast been replaced by huge, sophisticated and legally permitted events filled with music, food, seminars, and, of course, designated smoking areas. And while each of these gatherings is different, there’s one aspect they all share: a countdown to that magical moment at precisely 4:20 p.m. when the cheers of revelers and billowy clouds of smoke fill the air. What follows is a rundown of some of the more prominent gatherings taking place to mark the high holiday here in California. Regardless of where you decide to spend your 4/20 this year, we wish you a safe and stony good time. THE HIGH TIMES CANNABIS CUP Where: National Orange Show Fair Grounds // San Bernardino What: High Times’ flagship event is back in Bernardino with A-List musical guests, a multitude of vendors and a celebratory 420 countdown at 4:20 pm each day. When: April 20–22 // CANNABISCUP.COM HER ROYAL HIGHNESS Where: Queen Mary // Long Beach What: The historic ship hosts a 420 party for the first time, with education, food, vendors, and music. Sponsored by OC NORML. When: April 20, 12 p.m.–11:30 p.m. FB.COM/HERROYALHIGHNESS420
CANNABIS VILLAGE Where: EarthFair // Balboa Park, San Diego What: CannaVillage at EarthFair 2018 is one of the largest cannabis events in San Diego. Note: this is a non-consumption event. If you plan to medicate, do so discretely and respectfully. When: April 22, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. // CANNABIS PROFESSIONALS.ORG/CANNABISVILLAGE
THE PALM SPRINGS CANNABIS FILM FESTIVAL & SUMMIT Where: Camelot Theatres // 2300 East Baristo Rd., Palm Springs What: This new film festival seeks to erode stereotypes and clichés around cannabis and promote positive discussion. The lineup features screenings of feature, short, and documentary films, social gatherings, and educational panels and speakers—including a keynote address by California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control chief,
—KEIKO BEATIE
Lori Ajax. When: April 20–22 // PSCFF.JACKALYST.COM VIP CANNASEXUAL COUPLES’ INTIMACY WEEKEND Where: Sacramento What: Presented by Dr. Shameless and CannaSexual Ashley Manta, this cannabis-filled sensual weekend will include two nights in a historic bed and breakfast, an infused dinner, and intimacy building activities, workshops, and exercises. When: April 20–22 // ELEVATEDINTIMACY.COM 420 IN THE PARK Where: Hippy Hill // Golden Gate Park, San Francisco What: Sharon Meadows—a.k.a. Hippy Hill—is the traditional site for one of California’s longest running public gatherings celebrating 4/20. Food vendors, bathrooms, security, and emergency medical personnel will be there. There’s also a Hippie Hill concert by rapper Berner happening at the nearby Bill Braham Civic Auditorium. When: April 20, 9 a.m.–Dusk 420HIPPIEHILL.COM
HEMPCON Where: Cow Palace // San Francisco What: One of Cali’s biggest, most popular cannabis festivals returns to the Bay Area with vendors, performers, seminars, and of course a medicating section. When: April 20–22, Hours vary HEMPCON.COM/2018-420
honoring Earth THE
Imagine a world without clean air and clean water, filled with burning garbage and thick smog; a world where sewage, deadly insecticides, and other toxic chemical are dumped into our waterways. Sadly, this was the scene along the California coast, and all across America, in the late 1960s—a time when industrial pollution was almost entirely unregulated. It wasn’t until 1969, after witnessing the devastation caused by the Santa Barbara oil spill, that Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson decided to actually do something about it. Seeking a way to promote public awareness about the disastrous effects of pollution, he created Earth Day—a holiday designed to encourage environmental activism and education. The very first Earth Day was held as a teach-in on April 22, 1970. By the end of that year, the Environmental Protection Agency had been established, and Congress had passed the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. (The Endangered Species Act was later passed in 1973.) In the years that followed, Nelson continued to promote Earth Day events around the country—an impassioned environmental effort that, in 1995, earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Over the past few decades, Earth Day has become an inspiring instrument of change across the world. The event’s 20th anniversary in 1990 mobilized nearly 200 million people from 141 countries. Today, Earth Day is the largest secular civic event in the world, with close to 200 nations now participating in the global celebration. Each April, around 17,000 different grassroots organizations hold concerts, marches, nature walks, tree plantings, trash collection and recycling drives, upcycling workshops, educational forums, and much more—all in the name of creating a cleaner, healthier planet. These days, our planet needs us more than ever. The environmental protections we’ve spent two generations fighting to establish are facing unprecedented attack—both by an irresponsible administration hell-bent on rolling back regulations and dismantling protections on national parks and coastlines, and by corporations who continue to drill, frack, and dump with no regard for how it affects life on our planet. That's why it’s imperative that we, as concerned citizens, get involved and do our part. There are so many ways for us to help, even if it's on a small scale: use alternative transportation, ditch the disposable cups and bottles in favor of reusable ones, decrease your landfill waste, or join a community garden. As the slogans say, “Think green,” and, “Reduce, reuse, recycle.” By being mindful of your daily choices, you will also begin to cultivate a different relationship with the planet. So this Earth Day, get out there, find an event near you, connect with some like-minded eco-friendly folks, and start making a difference—you’ll be glad you did. For more info, visit EARTHDAY.ORG .
—APRIL PRICE
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 7
THE NE W N O R M A L
BREWING
the
buzz
CREATIVITY
Once the home of a Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery, the Brewery Art Complex in downtown LA is, according to LA Weekly, “the world's largest artist-in-residence community.” Twice a year, residents of this unique live/work space open their studio lofts to the public for a special indoor art show. With over 100 participating artists, this spring’s ArtWalk showcases works from every medium of artistic expression. Peruse paintings, drawings, illustrations, mixed media installations, architecture, metalwork, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, and more. Come meet some of the finest artists in Los Angeles and spend the day lost in color and creation.
—AMBER MEYER
BREWERY ARTWALK When: April 7–8 // 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Where: 2100 North Main St., Los Angeles BREWERYARTWALK.COM
garden galavant From succulents and sage to redwoods, lilacs, and poppies, the Golden State has some of the most diverse plant life in the world, and the self-guided Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour is one of the best ways to become familiar with all of California’s flourishing flora. Crafted in harmony with SoCal’s climate, soil, natural vegetation and native wildlife, the 45 gardens that are part of this tour are literally bursting with life. The gardens on the tour are divided into two groups: some open Saturday, others on Sunday. Select which to visit each day, then spend an afternoon perusing the landscapes, speaking to the gardeners and landowners, asking questions and becoming educated about the state’s indigenous plants, which are crucial for keeping pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds alive. In a time when bees are on the road to extinction, supporting and growing plants that will attract and allow pollinators to survive is vital—not just for them, but for us, too. And in a world where scrolling and swiping on screens dominate the day to day, taking time to stop and literally smell the flowers is essential to our individual and collective wellbeing.
— MARY CARREON
15TH ANNUAL THEODORE PAYNE NATIVE PLANT GARDEN TOUR When: Saturday, April 14 & Sunday, April 15 // 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Where: Theodore Payne Foundation, 10459 Tuxford St., Sun Valley Tickets: $25–$30 NATIVEPLANTGARDENTOUR.ORG 8 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 9
{newsfeed}
DAVID BIENENSTOCK is the former Head of Content for High Times and a former columnist/producer for Vice Media. He is the author of How to Smoke Pot (Properly): A Highbrow Guide to Getting High and co-host of the new podcast Great Moments in Weed History with Abdullah & Bean.
by DAVID BIENENSTOCK
A look back at the life and times of one of the cannabis movement’s most fearless and effective leaders, Dennis Peron—a.k.a. the godfather of medical marijuana. On January 27, mere weeks after the adult use of cannabis became officially legal in California, America lost perhaps its best known and best-loved cannabis activist, advocate, and evangelist—Dennis Peron. De-
syndrome,” as he later put it—but there wasn’t much around in those days, and it was pretty low quality. All that changed, however, when he deployed to Vietnam in 1967.
spite facing personal tragedy, police oppression, and
“Saigon was filled with the sweet smell of marijuana,”
relentless political opposition throughout his life, he
Peron recounted. “The day I arrived, I saw lots of Amer-
raised the banner for cannabis liberation during some
ican soldiers turning on, smoking pot all over the place.”
of the darkest days of that struggle and lived long enough to see the beginning of the end of cannabis prohibition worldwide.
Cannabis would prove to be the saving grace of a horrific situation. A closeted homosexual and a committed pacifist,
“The city and the country have lost a leader,” Ter-
Peron found himself in the middle of some of the con-
rance Alan, a longtime medical cannabis activist and
flict’s heaviest fighting, at a time when the US military
member of San Francisco’s Cannabis Commission said.
suffered staggering casualties. Pressed into combat,
“He lived his whole life on the edge, and that’s what al-
he not only refused to carry a gun, he intimated to his
lowed [California] to lead in cannabis. Not many people
superior officers that he’d be just as likely to shoot them
would have had the courage at the time that he took
as “the enemy.”As punishment, they put him to work
up the mantle.”
for 30 days stacking bodies at the morgue.
Although he would live to become almost synon-
“I was 20 years old. I’d never seen a dead person,”
ymous with West Coast cannabis, Dennis Peron was
he explained to journalist David Downs many decades
born in the Bronx, in 1946. The Italian-American son of a
later. “That month I saw 25,000 dead people. I came
computer programmer and a homemaker, he first tried
out of my closet and found out who I was.”
marijuana as a teenager—to relieve “parental stress 10 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
As the Tet Offensive raged on around him and the
© CRAIG LEMIRE
REMEMBERING D E N N I S PE R ON
death count climbed, Peron consoled himself with the
fundraisers and political gatherings. Whether you want-
region’s plentiful, potent local cannabis and lost his
ed to eat at The Island or score herb at The Big Top,
virginity in a bunker with a fellow soldier. After serv-
you had to prove you were registered to vote already
ing another year in the war, and managing to remain
or sign up on the spot.
in one piece, he was discharged in December 1969. As a parting gift, he stuffed two pounds of the high-
For Peron, pot and politics would always go handin-hand.
est grade cannabis he could find in Vietnam into his Air Force duffel bag and smuggled it home without a hitch.
FREEDOM FIGHTER
The proceeds from selling off those two pounds
In addition to his work as part of the nascent can-
helped him get settled in San Francisco and start a new
nabis liberation movement, Peron was also deep-
life for himself in the American city best known as a
ly involved in San Francisco’s push for gay rights. He
stronghold for gays and hippies. Being a gay hippie him-
worked closely with Harvey Milk, who would eventual-
self, he felt right at home for the first time in his life. Deep-
ly become the first openly gay person elected to public
ly scarred by his experiences in Vietnam, Peron vowed to
office in California. In fact, during his run for San Fran-
live fearlessly and to pursue happiness with a vigor.
cisco Board of Supervisors, Milk—who also advocated
To that end, he set up a crash pad/commune in a two-bedroom apartment and used it as a base of op-
for cannabis legalization—set up his campaign headquarters in a smoke-filled back room at the Island.
erations for Big Top—a kind of cannabis-dealing salon
In July 1977, however, just months before that
where interesting people from all walks of life came to
historic election, the San Francisco Narcotics Squad
socialize, organize, get high and purchase a nice sack
showed up unannounced and in full force at Peron’s
of cannabis to go. By 1974, his operations had ex-
pot paradise, determined to shut it down. They seized
panded to include The Island, a vegetarian health-food
200 pounds of cannabis and $8,000 in cash. During
restaurant in the heart of the Castro—San Francis-
the raid, Peron was shot in the leg, shattering his
co’s famed predominantly gay neighborhood—where
femur. Arrested along with 13 others, he remained
each patron was greeted with a free joint before sitting
undeterred. After the horrors of Vietnam, he always
down to eat. Housed in a renovated old storefront, The
claimed the police couldn’t scare him. In fact, he re-
Island exuded “shabby chic” charm, and drew a hip, bo-
portedly continued to sell cannabis from his bedside
hemian, cannabis-friendly clientele.
while recovering at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
“It was the only restaurant in the world where mar-
During a break in the ensuing trial, Peron approached
ijuana smoking was not just allowed, but nearly man-
the officer who’d shot him. “Hey sweetheart, I like your
datory,” Peron quipped.
shoes,” he taunted the virulently macho narc.
While the restaurant hummed downstairs, the Big
The officer responded with a string of anti-gay
Top’s expanded retail space turned the upstairs into a
slurs, then told Peron he wished he’d shot him dead.
three-ring cannabis dealing emporium.
As a result of this outburst, the officer’s testimony was
“It was kind of one-stop shopping,” according to the
thrown out of court, and the charges were lowered.
Big Top’s ringmaster. “Baskets of pot. No Waiting. You
Still, Peron spent six months in prison. In a letter to High
could tell [the hostesses] what you wanted, and they
Times penned from behind bars, he remained ever op-
would give it to you: Colombian, Cambodian, whatever.
timistic and committed to the cause.
About 200 to 300 people a day came. I treated them with respect and gave them their money’s worth. It was like a dream. People loved it.”
“Watch the light from San Francisco,” he wrote, “it will light up the world.” While still incarcerated, he began planning a cam-
Operating openly but outside the law for almost three
paign for a local ballot initiative that would stop San
years, this cannabis wonderland served as a kind of
Francisco authorities from arresting and prosecuting
stoned community space and organizing hub, hosting
people who “cultivate, transfer or possess marijuana.” sensimag.com APR I L 2018 11
The proposition passed by a wide margin. San Fran-
again. This time, 10 officers armed with sledgehammers
cisco Mayor George Moscone subsequently instruct-
performed a no-knock raid on Peron’s home in the
ed the city’s police force to ignore minor cannabis of-
Castro. As they searched his apartment for drugs, Per-
fenses, but this and many other reforms evaporated
on sought to protect his longterm partner, Jonathan
on November 27, 1978—the day Mayor Moscone
West, who was gravely ill with AIDS. After the raid re-
and Harvey Milk were assassinated by a homophobic
covered only four ounces of cannabis, one of the offi-
ex-police officer.
cers put his boot on West’s neck and taunted him with anti-gay jokes. Then they hauled Peron off to booking, THE BUYER’S CLUB
leaving his bedridden partner alone and terrified.
Throughout the 1980s, as the AIDS crisis spread
Sitting in a holding cell, Peron thought of Jonathan—
and grew more deadly, Dennis Peron worked tirelessly
scared and in pain, without any cannabis to quell his
to advocate for medical cannabis as a compassionate,
symptoms—and vowed to create a place in San Fran-
palliative response. With San Francisco’s gay commu-
cisco where anyone suffering from a severe illness could
nity reeling from the widening health crisis, and Peron
come, access cannabis, and form a community of mu-
still at the center of the city’s cannabis scene, he very
tual support. Jonathan lived just long enough to testify
quickly realized that the anti-nausea, pain relief, and
at Peron’s trial. Frail and in obvious physical agony, his
appetite stimulation cannabis provide can often literally
story moved the judge to throw out the case and ad-
be the difference between life and death. Not content
monish the arresting officers.
to merely advocate for legalization, he also worked to supply AIDS patients with cannabis directly. Then, on January 27, 1990, the narcs came calling
Public opinion also swung heavily in favor of medical cannabis at this time. Peron seized the moment by opening the San Francisco Cannabis Buyer’s Club. Al-
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Only melt glands with a solvent free extraction.
though he still risked arrest and prosecution, this time
nabis—all happened at the Buyer’s Club, where Peron
he had the tacit approval of City Hall to run a nonprofit
brought together medical cannabis patients and pro-
collective dedicated to supplying cannabis to the seri-
viders with academics, politicos, and activists eager to
ously ill for free or at a steep discount. Patrons had to
join forces on the historic effort.
produce photo ID and a doctor’s recommendation to
In 1996, Prop 215 made the ballot through a valiant
enter. The menu featured a wide selection of organic
effort of this core group and a grassroots movement
cannabis, plus edibles, tinctures, topicals, and health
throughout California. In response, just months before
food. In addition to the retail counter, there were plen-
voters decided on the issue, a hundred heavily armed
ty of places to make yourself comfortable and share
police officers raided the Buyer’s Club, busting open
some cannabis with friends or friendly strangers.
the front door with a battering ram. But their oppres-
“Marijuana is part of it, but a big part of healing is not being alone,” Peron explained.
sive action backfired, pushing many previously undecided voters to support medical cannabis.
The San Francisco Buyer’s Club also served as a hub
On Election Day, Prop 215 passed by a wide margin.
for the ascending cannabis movement’s political cam-
For another 20 years, the authorities—both state and
paigns. After passing a series of ever more ambitious
federal—would continue to push back against medical
local ballot initiatives, Peron at last set his sights on
cannabis, but the herbal resistance just kept fighting to
the big prize: A statewide proposition to make med-
defend and expand the rights of patients and provid-
ical cannabis legal and accessible for anyone with a
ers. And so, Dennis Peron’s legacy is a world where ev-
doctor’s recommendation. The earliest efforts to draft
ery adult in California can buy and consume cannabis,
what became Proposition 215—the California Com-
and support for legalization is higher nationwide than
passionate Use Act, allowing the use of medical can-
for almost any other political issue.
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 13
{tastebuds} story and photos by RY PRICHARD
RY PRICHARD is co-host of the hit cannabis cuisine show Bong AppĂŠtit on the Viceland network and co-creator of the food/drink/cannabis pairing project TerpQuest.
14 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
CHINO DELIVERY ONLY
AVAILABLE VIA UBER EATS, POSTMATES, AND NOMSIES (COMING SOON)
CHINOEATSLA.COM
CHINO: FUSION ON THE FLY Chef Eric Greenspan’s Chino is transforming food delivery. In the industrial swath of Koreatown, the aroma of
physical restaurant presence: finding and maintaining
spices, frying chicken, and crisping potatoes emanates
a winning location, taking on partners and investors to
from otherwise unremarkable buildings. My appetite is
acquire expensive real estate, staffing the front of
piqued, as is my attention: I’ve come here to get a glimpse
house, and the multitude of other costs and obliga-
of what just may be the future of fine dining.
tions inherent in the industry.
The buildings house a wide array of restaurant deliv-
The cost-saving potential of this virtual restaurant
ery services. While some are delivery-focused outposts
model swirled in my mind as I walked through the pizza
of brick-and-mortar restaurants such as Canter’s Deli,
box-lined corridors looking for Chino’s pod. As soon as I
others are entirely virtual, with menus only available via
got there, partner Steve Kim offers me something to eat.
online delivery services like GrubHub and Postmates.
“Do you want a lamb samosa? They’re really good;
Such is the case with Chino, the intriguing new food de-
she makes them,” he says, gesturing to Shruti Patel,
livery service that occupies a 12-foot by 12-foot pod
proprietor of Rangoli, an Indian dumpling and Chai tea
within this shared commissary kitchen space.
delivery and catering service that operates in the pod
Here, boundary-pushing chefs can experiment at
next door. I did want one, and it was indeed delicious,
will with recipes, receiving near-immediate feedback
stuffed with spice-heavy ground lamb, the flaky shell
on their creations. It’s a future where chefs operate a
cratered and crisp. This first bite showcases the level of
kitchen without the hassle that comes with having a
culinary action happening in this innovative space, as sensimag.com APR I L 2018 15
did the whirr of delivery drivers representing the various apps scurrying past me every couple of minutes. Chino’s first day of service was less than a week ago, but Kim is already pumped about the potential. “The coolest part to me is being able to get feedback so quickly,” he says. “You can change things almost immediately if you see people don’t like it. People weren’t liking the chile we put in the mango sticky rice dessert, so we removed it, and the reviews improved immediately. It’s interesting to analyze.” He offers me a sliced end piece of a banh mi—part of an effort to test a possible new bread for the sandwich, one of the three mains on Chino’s intentionally slim menu. The bread is solid, but it’s what’s inside that grabs my attention: crispy pork skin chicharron wedged next to an avocado slice atop juicy carnitas and a Vietnamese-style pickle. Steve’s partner, Eric Greenspan, soon joins us. In a surprise move earlier this year, the award-winning chef and Food Network/National Geographic personality shuttered all but one of his group’s LA restaurants and dove head first into the delivery-only model. I’m eager to hear his perspective on the new restaurant model. “The basic concept is Latin-Asian fusion, which has obviously been done before, but we are trying to take kind of a different approach to it,” says Greenspan in a boisterous baritone. “We are a little more brash with it, with the dime bags of MSG and the orange-chicken-burrito type of stuff. It’s fun to experiment, and I think it’s perfect for the area because we have USC, K-Town, and DTLA all nearby, which fits our demographic perfectly. I think the coolest part of this space and this type of idea is that you can roll out totally new concepts that have nothing to do with one another. I plan to have a few different concepts rolled out over the coming year, all operating out of this space or a similar one, with a single staff.” The ability of a chef like Greenspan to test-market new recipes and menu concepts is incredibly powerful, especially in today’s social media-driven, food-obsessive culture where one viral video showing off a dish can translate to lines out the door (literally, or in the case of an operation like Chino, figuratively) for months. Greenspan’s numerous, now-shuttered restaurants (three Maré outposts, Greenspan’s Grilled Cheese, and The Foundry on Melrose) were all located in expensive locales like West Hollywood and Santa Monica, requiring costly ongoing maintenance and large staffs to operate. By contrast, Chino is being run today by four people, including Greenspan. By condensing the operation, Greenspan is driving innovation. He is free to focus on the essentials: flavor and presentation, sure, but also other considerations such as how well his menu items hold up over the time it takes them to be delivered. That’s what he’s working on today.
16 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
Greenspan bites into a burrito that’s been wrapped up and sitting at room temp for about 20 minutes, picking at its interior as he chews. Passing the burrito to a cook, he says, “The chicken is hotter than last time but not quite as crispy. I think the heat of the chicken is wilting the veg a little bit. I’d definitely rather have it be more crispy and less hot because that’ll also help the vegetables stay crisp. This recipe is such a winner, but there are things we can do to help it hold up better over time and take into account the way customers will receive it.”
an undeniable torta quality. The thick condiment also
While those customers are only able to experience
helps keep the toppings from sliding around—an im-
Chinos via delivery, I get some fresh-from-the-kitchen
portant consideration, given the 15-plus-minutes it
action. The signature item, the Orange Chicken Burrito,
spends in transit before reaching the diner.
is a Frankenstein food of epic proportions, loaded with
Rounding out the short, focused menu is the bulgo-
snap pea fried rice, a daikon radish slaw, pea tendrils,
gi beef quesadilla—a comfort food mashup served
and some of the crispiest, most delicious orange chick-
with a richly flavored gochujang crema. The blend of
en I’ve ever had, all rolled into an oversized flour torti-
American cheese and finely sliced marinated beef,
lla. While the first taste certainly impressed, the burrito
with added crisp textures and Asian flare in the form of
somehow got better with each bite. The creamy slaw
bean sprouts and cabbage, is like a funhouse mirror
sauce pooled at the bottom, causing the über-crispy
version of a Philly cheesesteak.
orange chicken to take on a honey-walnut shrimp
Soon enough, it was 6 p.m., and orders started stream-
quality. Suspiciously light for something seemingly so
ing in. Greenspan perks up and takes charge, barking
decadent on paper, the burrito left me ample room to
tickets at his cook: “Two Tofu Burritos. Two more…
dive into the chef’s next suggested pairing: the wasabi
tofu burritos? Wait, this doesn’t seem right,” he pon-
guacamole with blue corn chips and wonton crisps and
ders, clutching the tickets. A quick investigation reveals
the carnitas banh mi sandwich. (It’s worth noting that
a glitch in one of the delivery service systems led to
all proteins can be subbed out for orange tofu for the
customers choosing the tofu substitute instead of the
vegetarian crowd.)
chicken—an ordering anomaly that raised a flag with
“I’m really blown away that I haven’t seen anyone else
the veteran chef.
doing this one,” Greenspan says as he slides a container
Greenspan rushes out of the kitchen to call the de-
of the bright green wasabi to me. From the first bite, the
livery service and correct the mistake before more or-
cool avocado blends with the nasal heat of the wasabi,
ders come in. “This is the kind of stuff we have to
the flavors working together in a harmonious way.
watch out for. Lucky I caught that, or we may have
Flashing a broad smile while slicing a sandwich
ended up getting bad reviews for something that had
rolled in paper in half, Greenspan declares, “So this is
nothing to do with us,” he says. Despite this minor
like if a banh mi and a torta had a baby.” It’s an apt de-
speed bump, the food flies out of the kitchen. Outside
scription, as the essential components of the two com-
the door, delivery guys emerge to ferry it to various
prise this sandwich. A tamarind-chipotle rub adds
destinations across the vast urban expanse of Los An-
complexity to the well-done carnitas, which plays deli-
geles. Somewhere, on the other end of the line, I envi-
ciously with the Asian pickles, avocado, and crispy
sion a customer unwrapping a burrito that still has un-
chicharron topping it. The sleeper hit of this item, how-
fathomably crispy chicken and fresh, cool vegetables
ever, is the blend of sweet chili mayo and refried black
inside it, while here in the kitchen, Greenspan smiles
beans slathered onto the bread, giving the sandwich
and waits for the next 5-star review to roll in. sensimag.com APR I L 2018 17
18 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
iconogr a phy OF THE FAN LEAF: FAN
Leaf?
NOT A
OF THE
by ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE
The pointy cannabis leaf, ONCE A BADGE OF THE COUNTERCULTURE, MAY BE IN DANGER OF BECOMING AN OVERUSED MARKETING TOOL AND CRINGE-WORTHY CLICHÉ IN LEGAL STATES—BUT IT’S OUR ICON, AND WE’RE STUCK WITH IT. LET’S LEAD WITH TASTE AND RESPECT.
I own two pieces of clothing with cannabis leaves
When I visit my family and friends in the conserva-
on them: warm, fuzzy socks that were a gift from a
tive Midwestern state where I grew up, I leave those
dear friend and a three-year-old Women Grow t-shirt,
items at home. I’m a sissy rebel—or maybe no rebel at
vintage in this young industry and soft from many
all—because I wear them only in legal states, where
washings. I love wearing both in Colorado and Califor-
cannabis leaves are a networking tool, not a counter-
nia, where they spark good conversation.
cultural icon. They’re so ubiquitous in Colorado and sensimag.com APR I L 2018 19
California these days, in fact, that I might not wear my
Jacquie Aiche Sweet Leaf jewelry and clutches featur-
socks and shirt to industry events because I’m slightly
ing that leaf.
embarrassed about what a cliché that pointy leaf has become.
But let’s face it: Mara and Margot weren’t breaking new ground. They’re all following Gram Parson, who
If you’ve been in the cannabis industry for a minute
had suits with cannabis leaves embroidered on them
or two, you can’t help but catch the yawn. It’s been
made for him and his Flying Burritos Brothers band-
three years since Mara Hoffman dressed her New
mates to wear on the cover of their first album in 1968.
York Fashion Week models in dresses and pants wo-
The mainstream fashion world may still get a little
ven with green cannabis leaves and two years since
titillated by the leaf’s countercultural edge—*so* Che
Alexander Wang worked them into a black leather
Guevara—but in the cannabis industry, we’ve all seen
skirt that Margot Robbie wore on Saturday Night Live.
that guy wearing a suit plastered with leaves at a few
We’ve all gotten used to seeing celebrities flash their
too many events. (Just because you can doesn’t mean
RESPECT: eat your leaves Fan leaves, still considered a waste product by industrial and home growers because they deliver very minimal THC, are coming into their own as a nutritional and medicinal powerhouse, largely thanks to the work of Dr. William Courtney. The physician credits cannabis leaf juice with putting his domestic partner into remission from lupus, interstitial cystitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. As food and medicine, the non-psychoactive leaves are finally getting the respect they deserve. If you don’t or can’t grow your own cannabis, fresh fan leaves can be a hard-to-come-by delicacy. Here’s to seeing that change. If you do grow your own, stop composting fan leaves when you remove them. Wash them in water and vinegar, then blend them into juices and smoothies, toss them into salads, sprinkle them into soups and over fish, and add them to pesto and tabbouleh. They add an earthy, slightly bitter taste and deliver vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
you should.) We’re classing up this industry, and as a friend recently pointed out, you don’t see people walking around wine festivals wearing leggings covered in grapes or earrings shaped like grapevines. Our ennui is a problem of privilege—albeit one that should be a right for all—and I do know how lucky we are that we can display cannabis leaves as a universal symbol of pride, solidarity, and advocacy without fear of persecution. Because in the end, though there are more subtle ways of letting the world know we’re pro-cannabis—jewelry shaped like THC and CBD molecules make great gifts for friends in the Midwest— nothing says “I love weed” like the leaf. It’s our icon, and we’re stuck with it. Let’s try to be tasteful.
Enemies of Society, Waiting for Our Emoji The cannabis leaf has history. The oldest depiction found so far dates to the Neolithic era (10,000–5,000 BC) and was painted on a cave wall on the coast of Kyushu, Japan. Many believe the pointy leaf often shown above the head of the ancient Egyptian idol Seshat, goddess of architecture, astronomy, astrology, and mathematics, was a cannabis leaf. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, when cannabis was a common ingredient in over-the-counter elixirs, the leaf could be spotted on medicine bottle labels— though it wasn’t nearly as ubiquitous as it is on cannabis products today. It went underground with the advent of prohibition in 1937, largely forgotten until it re-emerged, along with tie-dye and peace signs, in the 1960s. Jerry Rubin, the flamboyant radical who told hippies never to trust anyone over 30, anointed the leaf when he said: “Smoking pot makes you a criminal and a revolutionary. As soon as you take your first puff, you are an enemy of society.” In 1966, the Saturday Evening Post described college students who used marijuana as fitting into “a
20 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 21
general pattern of rebellion against society’s values.”
with animals (54.6 percent) and basketball teams with
The very fact that marijuana was illegal, according to
basketballs (52.6 percent) scored higher—and it’s not
a 1967 Life magazine article, was part of its appeal for
just about pictures. Think about how many cannabis
PEACE OUT
A HANDFUL OF YEARS BEFORE THE CANNABIS LEAF EMERGED AND BECAME FOREVER INTERTWINED WITH IT AS SYMBOLS OF REBELLIOUS TIMES, THE PEACE SIGN WAS INVENTED AS A BADGE FOR THE CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT. THE COLD WAR WAS ESCALATING WHEN BRITISH DESIGNER GERALD HORTON CREATED THE PEACE SYMBOL FOR A 1958 ANTI-NUCLEAR MARCH IN LONDON. HE BASED THE DESIGN ON HIS OWN PERSONAL DESPAIR, REPRESENTING AN INDIVIDUAL WITH HANDS STRETCHED DOWNWARD AND OUTWARD LIKE SPANISH PAINTER FRANCISCO GOYA’S DEPICTION OF TERRIFIED PEASANTS BEFORE THE FIRING SQUAD DURING THE SPANISH RESISTANCE TO NAPOLEON’S ARMIES IN 1808. HORTON’S ORIGINAL DESIGN LOOKED MORE LIKE A PERSON, WITH THE LINES WIDENING TO MEET THE CIRCLE WHERE FEET, HANDS AND A HEAD WOULD BE, BUT THE LINES WERE STRAIGHTENED AND SLIMMED DOWN IN THE 1960S UNTIL HIS DESIGN BECAME THE BOLD, UNIVERSALLY RECOGNIZED ICON WE KNOW AND LOVE TODAY.
companies you know with the word “leaf” in the name.
the empty, materialistic striving of their parents, they
We could talk all day about the irony of baby boom-
turn the whole pot scene into a protest tool which they
ers exploiting the freedom leaf to make money as part
use to mock a middle-class culture they disdain,” the
of the very middle-class culture they once disdained—
article stated.
but let’s save that for a sesh.
We all know what happened next. Hippies became
The fan leaf is our icon, and
yuppies, Nancy Reagan told us to “just say no,” and can-
we’re stuck with it. Let’s try to
nabis leaves disappeared even from rolling paper la-
be respectful of its defiance.
bels and dorm room posters as the plant was forced
Those of us who get to experi-
deep underground. When Adidas attempted to unearth
ence the normalization of a
it by replacing its corporate logo with a cannabis leaf
symbol that once sparked con-
to market hemp sports shoes in 1998, US drug czar Lee
flict and controversy need to
P. Brown slammed the company for attempting to “cap-
keep working toward universal
italize on the drug culture” and implying that drugs are
acceptance, even as we fold it
associated with the “magic” of sporting achievement.
into our marketing materials.
Prohibition is ending. Despite Attorney General Jeff Sessions, attitudes are changing, and the leaf has nev-
We’ve come far, but we’re not there yet.
er been more popular. In 2016, a survey found that 44
We will have arrived when
percent of logos registered as trademarks for canna-
our phones come equipped
bis businesses included leaves—only veterinarians
with cannabis leaf emojis.
22 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook author Robyn Griggs Lawrence recently launched a company, Cannabis Kitchen Events, that includes a tiny turquoise cannabis leaf in the logo.
PHOTOGRAPHS © POVY KENDAL ATCHISON
young people. “Seeing themselves in rebellion against
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 23
DEAR
BRADLEY SUBLIME
JOSH COFFMAN © JOSHPHOTO.NE T
REMEMBRANCE
24 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
An OPEN LETTER to late Sublime singer BRADLEY NOWELL from former manager and friend Jon Phillips.
Orange County has produced some fantastic musical artists over the years: from 1950s classics like Dick Dale and the Righteous Brothers to modern shredders like Fu Manchu and Avenged Sevenfold and everything in between. But there’s No Doubt (another great OC band, by the way) that one of the most beloved and influential groups to ever emerge from the area is Sublime. Their melodic mixture of ska, punk, reggae, and rock took the country by storm. Surfers, skaters, stoners, frat boys, Rastas, and rockers—everybody loved Sublime. And from early on, they were one of the few bands that weren’t afraid to sing about smoking weed and support legalization in their songs. They were innovative, raw, and tremendously talented—especially their charismatic lead singer Bradley Nowell. With his funky, soulful vocals and boyish good looks, he had the guys swinging and the girls swooning. But sadly, like too many other great artists of the day, Bradley fell victim to the dark allure of addiction. And on May 25, 1996, the world learned it had lost another brilliant artist to heroin. He was just 27—the same age that Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and many other rock stars have prematurely met their ends. On February 22, on what would have been Nowell’s 50th birthday, Jon Phillips—the cofounder and CEO of San Diego’s Silverback Records, and who managed and helped sign Sublime—penned a touching letter to his long departed friend, explaining to him how his life and music have impacted his many friends and fans, and posted it on Facebook. To honor this fallen musical hero of the LBC, we’d like to present an excerpt from that letter. Rest in power, Bradley. —BOBBY BLACK
Dear Bradley,
DAMN DUDE —YOU WOULD’VE BEEN 50
to go check out some vintage vinyl at the famous
YEARS OLD TODAY. HOLY SHIT ... IT’S HARD TO
local record store Albums on The Hill and ended up
BELIEVE THAT NEARLY 25 YEARS HAVE PASSED
walking through a little neighborhood by the campus
SINCE WE FIRST MET. I CAN STILL REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES SEEING SUBLIME P L A Y. Y O U B R O K E O U T “P O O L S H A R K” A T A UCLA FRAT PARTY IN FRONT OF AROUND 50
where, after taking a small toke of a vape pen (I’ll explain what that is later), I heard a loud bass line carrying from down the street. As I got closer, I heard “Don’t Push”—your little ditty from 1992’s 40 Oz. To Free-
dom—coming from a backyard keg party. It’s fucking
PEOPLE, MAYBE A YEAR A F T E R I F I N I S H E D
2018, and the college kids are still blasting Sublime—
COLLEGE THERE. I WAS 23, AND A RECENT
still waking the town, still pushing the envelope. The
COLLEGE GRAD JUST STARTING OUT IN THE
good vibes keep on playing. Fresher than ever, and
MUSIC INDUSTRY. I STOOD ALONGSIDE YOUR TATTERED AMP SHOT-GUNNING KEYSTONE LIGHTS (THE COLLEGIATE BEER OF CHOICE AT THE TIME), AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER
almost 30 years from when you first dropped that shit in the LBC. And I started thinking because I forgot for a second, holy shit—it’s Brad’s 50th birthday this week! That’s why they’re playing Sublime! I started to wonder what gets played more today in
THE FEELING OF MY HAIR STANDING ON END,
college dorms and parties, Sublime or Dave Matthews?
GOOSEBUMPS, WITH THE EERIE REALIZATION
Nirvana, The Grateful Dead, or Lynyrd Skynyrd? Can
THAT THE LYRICS IN YOUR SONG MIGHT
they measure that through Spotify and Pandora and
EVENTUALLY BE PROPHETIC OF YOUR OWN IMMORTALITY. I OFTEN THINK BACK TO THAT MOMENT: WE ALL INNOCENTLY STOOD IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS, AND JUST A FEW O F U S K N E W . T H A T W A S A L M O S T 25 Y E A R S AGO —YOU WERE 26.
iPhones? Wait...what’s Spotify? What’s an iPhone? Oh shit, Brad—didn’t you hear? People are no longer stealing 40 Oz. CDs out of cars. Most people don’t even have CD players. People don’t really buy albums anymore, and they don’t need to steal them. There’s this thing called “streaming” now, and no one really gives a fuck about albums anymore. Bottom line though, Sublime is still being played in every capacity, and it’s
So here we are, old man. What a long, strange trip it’s been. Take a look at your life... Do you even know
still the soundtrack for a new generation—still “triple rectifying that son of a bitch.”
what you started? Just last weekend, I happened to
I mentioned that music is free now, but did I tell
be walking down the street in Boulder, Colorado, and
you that weed is LEGAL?!? No shit. In January 2018,
I ended up in the area on the hill by the university on
California became the sixth US state to legalize recre-
a beautifully sunny, rare, 67-degree winter day. I went
ational marijuana sale and usage, and more than half sensimag.com APR I L 2018 25
of the states have “medical” marijuana. Can you believe that? You can now buy herb from the store down the street. I remember when we all went to that little studio off La Brea in Hollywood, and you and Miguel
Sublime's Bradley Nowell with Skunk Records co-founder Miguel Happoldt and band manager Jon Phillips at Nowell's wedding, just one week before his death. COURTESY OF JON PHILLIPS/SILVERBACK MUSIC
and Bud and Eric recorded that version of “Legalize It” for Capricorn Records’ Hempilation album for NORML back in ’94. Well, that day has come. I know you didn’t always love smoking weed, but I think you would be intrigued by the movement this plant has ignited— the political disparity, the science and technology, and how much deeper the culture has become than simply, “Smoke two joints in the morning, smoke two joints at night.” There are medicinal uses starting to prove that this seed and its flower could be a redeeming miracle of nature with many industrial uses and healing properties. I gotta go dig out that version of “Legalize It” you
in our history, in a world that you aren’t here to see. I
did, it’s somewhere in the archive. I can probably just
wonder what you would’ve had to say about all of this.
go to YouTube and find it. Oh yeah, Brad—YouTube,
You were always quite the historian, and I can only
vape pens, iPhones—a lot has changed. If only you
imagine what impact this would’ve had on your worl-
were still around ….
dview and your music. But your music continues to
So in case you’re wondering, I’m still wading in this cesspool (insert Hunter S. Thompson quote here)
inspire us, remaining a positive light in dark times that’s more relevant than ever.
called the music industry. Still putting out records and
The Dub Allstars broke up shortly afterward. Things
managing bands for the music I love. For a few years,
were cool for a while, but eventually everyone went
I had a good run with your boys from the LBC: Bud,
their separate ways, and like all of those Behind the Mu-
Eric, and the Long Beach Dub Allstars. We traveled
sic shows on VH1 (you were on one, by the way), every-
the world, enlisted some of your world-class influenc-
one ended up suing everyone else, and the lawyers and
es (Half Pint, Barrington Levy, and others) and made
record labels made a shit ton of money while everyone
a couple of albums. On May 25, 1998 (the second an-
else got screwed. I don’t want to waste a lot of time on
niversary of your passing), we were in Germany while
the negative; I just wanted to make the point that you
touring internationally for the first time when Opie, in
and Sublime really made the music business worth the
a drunken rage, sucker punched me in the face. It was
fight for me. I tried to fight for you—I originally didn’t
a rough tour, but a rite of passage that I’ll never forget
feel it was right for anyone to use your name posthu-
and always treasure. On that trip, Opie coined me a
mously, so I became outspoken about the attempted
“Silverback” and made me a prototype business card
usage of “Sublime.” I didn’t think any band except one
with his art, and that was the start of what I still do
with Brad Nowell in it should ever be called Sublime.
now—Silverback Music. With all the ups and downs
I mean, there’s no Nirvana without Kurt. So, as a le-
and peaks and valleys of this existence in the music
gal exception, it became “Sublime With Rome.” They,
biz, I’m proud to say it’s mainly because of you that I’m
among others, are still playing those songs for throngs
still in the game and it’s now the 20th anniversary of
of people that tragically will never see the real thing.
Silverback. Thank you, Bradley.
You gave me some gifts as well. The first one was a
LBDAS toured until 2001 and made a second al-
little band from Ocean Beach, San Diego called Slightly
bum called Wonders of the World, which ironically
Stoopid. I remember the first time I met Miles. He was
dropped on 9/11/2001—the day the Twin Towers fell
16 years old. You brought him to my office on Wilshire
in New York City. I went to NY with the “Dubs” a cou-
in Beverly Hills (the Gasoline Alley headquarters), and
ple of weeks after while they attempted to tour the
you said, “Jon, this is Miles from Slightly Stoopid.” I
country in the aftermath of 9/11 (and amongst the
remember feeling the hint—like you were saying, “Hey
stress of their own internal substance abuse issues).
bud—I might not be here forever, so if you want some-
Upon arriving at Ground Zero, you could still smell
one to carry the torch, this guy can do it.” (How did
the stench of darkness. What a crazy, defining time
you know?) And man did he and Kyle do that and then
26 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
some. If you ask anyone today, they’ll tell you that
that we will continue to grow old with—is your beau-
Sublime and Stoopid are the real deal. Unfortunately,
tiful son Jakob. I remember when you brought him
you didn’t get to relish in the success of the reaction
to the office as an infant fresh from the hospital. You
to your music, and Stoopid lost their older brother—no
were so proud…and you should be. What a beautiful
big tour to hop on, just the notion and the spirituality
kid and deep soul. We’ve become closer now that he’s
that Bradley and Sublime and Skunk Records had em-
older (he just turned 21 last year) and started to pur-
braced them and dropped some real knowledge their
sue music a little more seriously. He has an uncan-
way. And shit, those two little grommets not even out
ny resemblance to you—good looking, introspective,
of high school whose first notes I saw at Fake Niteclub
well-read, artistic, innocent, and talented. He conveys
(Sublime’s little ’94–96 makeshift studio on Anaheim
your energy and soul but is finding his own identity
Street) with you and Miguel at the boards are now two
musically. He has quite the shoes to fill, but he has a
decades and 10 albums deep into their careers with
bright future. You should be proud. I would do any-
no sign of slowing down. Thanks to you, we all became
thing I can for your kid, man—I owe that to you be-
brothers and partners—including my brother Matt,
cause you and your music have given me so much.
who became their manager. (You met Matt—he actu-
Don’t hold it against me, but I’ve never brought my-
ally smoked his first jay with you at my folks’ place in
self to visit your gravestone. I feel guilty about it, but
San Jose.) You’d be proud of these kids—they’re seri-
honestly, there isn’t a day I don’t think about you or
ous musicians, good dudes, and excellent songwriters.
feel your guidance and presence. I’m not perfect, but
They’ve cultivated a large legion of fans called “Stoop-
I’m passionate about the lineage of this music and the
idheads” and sell out 5,000–10,000 seat amphitheaters
future. Sublime laid the foundation and nothing ever
every summer. They continue to carry that torch with
touched it. Reggae music is still on the loose, and you
much respect and gratitude.
have your own 40 Oz. To Freedom beer now, so I’m
The other gift—aside from all of the indelible memories and timeless songs that will never grow old, but
tipping one of those to you. We are all still, and forever, “under your voodoo.” Happy Birthday, Bradley.
Our mission is to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs. DEVELOPING A nationwide network of cannabis business owners within a variety of disciplines, including ancillary businesses ADVOCATING For creation and fair enforcement of sensible, equitable policies ACCELERATING Increased cannabis industry growth by ensuring patient and consumer access to the most people SERVING As a voice for the minority population with programs that foster opportunity, education, and equality
Visit us at MinorityCannabis.org to join the movement today!
memberships@minoritycannabis.org @MinCannBusAssoc
@MinorityCannabis
@MCIA.org
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 27
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
VAPEXHALE
Vape-Perfection VAPEXHALE’S PATENTED EVO TAKES VAPORIZATION TO THE HIGHEST LEV EL. As more medicinal qualities of cannabis are dis-
ration and research, he engineered a device em-
covered, more people than ever are turning to vapor-
phasizing health, taste, and smoothness—the EVO.
ization as an alternative to traditional “combustion”
“Medicate” and “intoxicate” are familiar terms peo-
consumption. But with the multitude of vaporizers
ple use to describe cannabis ingestion … but Shen
on the market, it can be difficult for consumers to
prefers the term “activate”, because it enhances his
determine which to trust with their health.
focus and performance without slowing his reflexes.
It’s this dilemma that the EVO by Vapexhale
Apparently, Shen wasn’t the only sports figure using
seeks to solve. Unlike other devices that use con-
vaporization as a means to “activation”: Vapexhale’s
ductive heat to release an herb’s essential oils,
early customers included many professional ath-
EVO’s patented PerpetuHeat Thermal Technology
letes who participate in high impact sports such as
uses convection heat and an all-glass air path to
hockey, football, and ultimate fighting.
deliver cleaner, smoother vapor without that nasty
“Initially, I thought they were using it the way I
“charred” taste. EVO’s hybrid capabilities and mod-
was—after working out to relax and reduce inflamma-
ular system allows users to enjoy both dry herbs
tion,” recounts Shen, who was shocked to learn that 90 percent of these athletes vaporized before competing. To help users achieve that activation stage, Vapexhale created their own Cannabis Performance Assessment and Facilitation programs, which examine the goals of individuals to implement a plan that’s suited to them. Since its release in 2014, EVO continues to lead the high-end vaporizer market with global distribution and strong annual sales growth—aided by the widespread popularity of personal vape “pens,” which they view as complementary products rather than competition. “Watching the game on your
and concentrates through a variety of interchange-
smartphone is like using your vape pen,” explains
able inserts and borosilicate mouthpieces. In fact,
Shen. “EVO is like watching it on HDTV.”
EVO is the only vaporizer that’s won Cannabis Cups
EVO’s sleek, innovative design have led some to
for both its dry herb and concentrate capabilities,
liken it to popular products by cutting-edge tech
showcasing its versatility.
companies, but Shen eschews such comparisons.
EVO was conceived by Vapexhale CEO, and
“Instead of trying to be the Apple or Tesla of canna-
mixed martial arts athlete, Seibo Shen, who sought
bis, we just want to be the best Vapexhale of can-
a healthier alternative to smoking. Seeking a device
nabis we can be.”
that provided an optimal vaping experience, Shen tested over 100 different devices and adopted the
For more information, visit
best aspects of each. After thirteen years of explo-
VAPEXHALE.COM .
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30 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
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{soLA } by BOBBY BLACK
C PITOL
BUILDING WEST COAST CAPITOL Usually, when someone mentions the Capitol Building, they’re referring to that big white one with the dome in Washington, DC. But as most of you know, there’s another Capitol Building located right here in LA—a block north of the celebrated crossroads of Hollywood and Vine—that’s just as famous. Designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2006, the Capitol Records Building was the world’s first circular office building. An unlucky 13 stories high, it bears an intriguing resemblance to a stack of records on a turntable, though its designer swore that was not his intention. Atop the needle-like antenna on its roof, a blinking red light spells out "Hollywood" in Morse code every few seconds. It’s done this uninterrupted since the building’s opening in 1956, with one exception: in 1993, the message was changed to “Capitol 50” in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary. Unlike its District of Columbia namesake, where laws are made, this Capitol Building is known for making music. Old Blue Eyes himself Frank Sinatra was the first to record an album in Capitol Studios, followed over the years by a cavalcade of other top name talent (e.g., Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, Guns N’ Roses, Michael Jackson, Elton John, and Paul Simon). Like many other iconic American structures, the Capitol Records Building has been featured (and often destroyed) in a number of popular video games and films; for me, however, its most memorable movie appearance will always be in Andrew Dice Clay’s ill-fated action comedy The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, in which the Diceman dispatches Wayne Newton’s homicidal henchman Smiley (portrayed by Robert “Freddy Krueger” Englund) with his Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster whilst descending down the building’s facade. 32 Los Angeles A P R I L 2018
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