Sensi Magazine - Los Angeles (January 2018)

PR

LOS ANGELES

New Marketing Moves Beyond Old Stereotypes

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1.2018

THE NEW NORMAL

Heading Up To Humboldt

Going Mainstream

Road Trip Recommendations

Living La Brea Loca

LA’s Prehistoric Playground

{PLUS}

Dr. Bronner’s Moral Mission 5 Tips for Better Money Management Comedian Brian Babylon & More!

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sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 1

2 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 1 // 1.2018

FEATURES 18

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

Going Mainstream

To reach the coveted new demographic of cannabis users, marketers are realizing they have to reach beyond the tired old stoner stereotypes.

28 Moral Authority

The Cosmic Engagement Office of Dr. Bronner’s lauded brand of natural soaps is as much an activist as he is an entrepreneur. And he’s on a mission to help end America’s cannabis prohibition.

every issue 5 Editor’s Note 6 SensiBuzz 10 TravelWell

HEADING UP TO HUMBOLDT

14 AroundTown

LIVING LA BREA LOCA

29 SensiScene

SHANGHAI NIGHTS

32 LA | QA

BRIAN BABYLON

Sensi Magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 3

sensi magazine ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1 1.2018

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editor’s

NOTE

RESOLUTION FOR THE REVOLUTION Happy New Year! As of this month, the first licensed, legal sales of recreational cannabis are begin-

ning to take place all across California. It’s the dawn of a green new golden age in our glorious Golden State—a state with the sixth largest economy in the world that’s widely recognized as the epicenter of entertainment, progressive ideals, and cannabis cultivation in America. Make no mistake, the economic impact and cultural influence of what is about to happen here will reverberate around the nation, if not the globe. Which is why it’s no coincidence that this premiere issue of Sensi magazine’s new Los Angeles edition is also making its debut this month.

Watching this whirlwind of change around us, I’m frequently flabbergasted at how far this movement has come.

When I began my cannabis career back in 1994, there were no vape pens or dabs, no “patients” or budtenders, no legal states, and no such thing medical marijuana. In the eyes of the law, and of the public, all of us—every single person who used cannabis—were simply criminals. Back then, being a member of the marijuana movement meant living as an outlaw. With every byline, every photo shoot, every protest, and every harvest, we knowingly jeopardized our freedom—and we did so because we loved this plant and believed in its power to heal and enlighten.

One of the seven pillars of Sensi’s philosophy is Warrior’s Resolve, and we should never forget that it’s because of the warrior’s resolve of those outlaws—those journalists, activists, and growers—that legitimate patients now have access to their medicine, that cannabis is now the fastest growing industry in America, and that millions of people will no longer need to fear prison for enjoying the benefits of mother nature’s medicine. However, we must also recognize that in order to expand upon the progress we’ve made, we must evolve and adapt as counterculture becomes simply culture—as cannabis use becomes “the new normal.” That’s the mission of this magazine, and its one I’m proud to get behind.

I’m honored to be joining this amazing team and excited to be leading the editorial efforts for Sensi’s three new SoCal editions (Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego). Therefore, my New Year’s resolutions are as follows: to help you, the local cannabis community, continue to educate, advocate, and innovate, to welcome your contributions and suggestions, and to deliver you the most entertaining and informative content possible each and every month.

Yes, these are indeed historic times we live in, my friends…and as residents of Southern California, we have a front row seat to watch cannabis’s commercial and cultural revolution unfold. So light up, lean in, and enjoy the show.

Highest regards,

Bobby Black

So CA L ED I TOR @ BOBBYBLACK

ADVISORY BOARD 3C Farms // CULTIVATION Flowerkist by Steph // TOPICALS LINX Card // MERCHANT SERVICES SIVA // BUSINESS CONSULTING Spiked Soil Holdings // SOIL

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sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 5

THE NEW NORMAL

sensi

buzz

NOTABLE + QUOTABLE

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

—Benjamin Franklin

Improbable Heroes The people who brought us Golden Girls have joined forces with the illustrator of Super Golden Friends and created a new gang of elders for audiences to love. The Improbables is an animated graphic novel featuring five aging superheroes whose best defenders-of-justice days are probably behind them. Along with fighting contemporary crime, they now have to deal with their own bum knees and memory loss. Finally, a group of superheroes I can relate to.

You, too, can enjoy the twisted tales of life catching up to superpowers by downloading “Saving Las Vegas,” an ebook filled with an irreverent blend of comic-book sass, video, and dialogue or by watching the episodes online at theimprobables.tv.

HeadSPIN

Our Monthly Recommendation for your Musical Medication

ALBUM: Prophets of Rage (Fantasy Records, 2017) ARTIST:

Prophets of Rage // TOP TRACK: “Legalize Me”

The Justice League…Voltron…peanut butter and jelly—all good things made great when strong, separate parts came together to form a more powerful whole. That’s Prophets of Rage at its core: three-quarters of Rage Against the Machine, with the tag-team vocals of Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Cypress Hill’s B-Real (who play off of each other like they’d been side by side for years), accompanied by DJ Lord (Public Enemy) on the turntables. It’s a collab that really should’ve happened years ago, but still jumps off decades later. The members are older and wiser—and just as pissed off.

I popped on my ’phones, raised my fist in the air and raged through the next 40 minutes of the Prophets’ new self-titled album. In it, the group runs down the list of hot-button issues of our day, including our current president (“Hail to the Chief”), cannabis legalization (“Legalize Me”), and more. The music may not blaze any new pathways, but it doesn’t need to. These are straight-up RATM grooves with an updated message.

While it seems like everything in entertainment is getting remade and rebooted nowadays, Prophets of Rage have taken what they know best, tapped into the craziness of our current time, and unleashed that energy into a rallying cry for the next generation. Rage on!

JON PACELLA is a music aficionado and sales specialist at the famous Amoeba Music store in Hollywood. FB: jpacella, amoeba.com 6 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

SENSI CONCERT CALENDAR

Some of the top shows in and around Los Angeles this month.

JANUARY 05

Schwayze Sainte Rock JANUARY 06

Cubensis

(Grateful Dead Tribute) Sainte Rock JANUARY 14

Big Boi

Regent Theater JANUARY 14

Fates Warning Whiskey A Go Go JANUARY 19

G3 (Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Uli Roth) Orpheum Theater JANUARY 19

iHeart Radio ALTer Ego Festival (feat.

Mumford & Sons, Spoon, Beck, Dashboard Confessional, Walk the Moon, The National) The Forum JANUARY 19

Metalachi Sainte Rock JANUARY 19

Orgone

Teragram Ballroom

High-Flying Entertainment Cirque du Soliel brings its waking dream to , Dodger s Stadium this month. Known for its extravagant art direction and death defying feats, the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil has been entertaining audiences with its high-flying fantasies and fables for over three decades. During its history, the company has staged nearly 40 different productions, including The Beatles’ Love, Toruk (based on James Cameron’s Avatar film), the risqué Zumanity, and Michael Jackson’s One and Immortal. Now, fresh off its recent run in Atlanta, the troupe brings its Latin-themed Luzia to the City of Angels for a limited engagement at the stadium.

Just as Cirque itself is a fusion of dance, acrobatics, and performance art, so too is the name Luzia a fusion—

JANUARY 20

JANUARY 27

Jay Leno

Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts JANUARY 20

Trevor Noah Dolby Theater JANUARY 25

Metal Allegiance Tour (feat. Pantera, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Mastodon, Sepultura) House of Blues – Anaheim JANUARY 26

Blood, Sweat and Tears Downey Theater JANUARY 27

Reverend Horton Heat, Voodoo Glow Skulls

The Rose (Pasadena) JANUARY 27

L.A. Guns

The Parish at House of Blues — Anaheim JANUARY 27

Puddle of Mudd

Yngwie Malmsteen

JANUARY 26

JANUARY 28

Coach House Concert Hall

The Canyon (Agoura Hills)

JANUARY 26

JANUARY 28

Whiskey A Go Go

Saban Theater

Jefferson Starship The Temptations The Romantics, Yngwie Violent Femmes, Malmsteen The Rose (Pasadena) Salt n Pepa Honda Center

JANUARY 31

JANUARY 27

80s Weekend

(with The Romantics, Sugarhill Gang, Boy George, Flock of Seagulls) Microsoft Theater

Rebel Souljahz The Roxy

of the Spanish words for light (luz) and rain (lluvia)— suggesting that attendees should probably expect to get wet. Billed as “A Waking Dream of Mexico,” Luzia is Cirque’s first production centered around a single culture—featuring Latin rhythms and a cornucopia of cultural costumes, including everything from birds and butterflies to reptiles and cacti—and even a few Lucha Libre. The colorful cabaret stars a cast of 44 artists from 15 different countries, doing all of the jiggling, juggling, balancing, spinning, swinging, and even splashing you’d expect from Cirque du Soleil. They even brought in the Academy Award-winning designer behind the surreal, spooky storybook film Pan’s Labyrinth to design the set, which include a sinkhole, stripper poles, and a spectacular solar centerpiece.

Cirque du Soleil: Luzia runs at Dodger Stadium until January 21. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy this unique celebration of Mexico’s rich heritage and culture. (If you miss it at the stadium, don’t despair: you can still catch it down in Costa Mesa next month.)

Tickets start at $50. For more info visit cirquedusoleil.com/luzia.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 7

sensi

buzz

THE NEW NORMAL

payment the day after your statement closes. Don’t wait for your due date. You can’t avoid the interest on previous purchases sitting on your card, but you can avoid additional interest on future purchases by implementing this strategy.

3

US E AUTOPAY. We all know that if we pay our bills late, there’s always a fee.

Plus, if you’re late more than once, your interest rate is likely to skyrocket. So avoid all of the penalties by putting all of your bills on auto pay. This will ensure you never miss a payment, and will force you to budget your money to maintain the necessary balance in the account. Banks already make money on your money; don't give them more money for nothing.

Resolution Solution 5 Tips for Better Money Management Making ends meet in today’s economy isn’t always easy, and getting your financial house in order can sometimes seem like an insurmountable task.

But by incorporating some small changes and simple habits into your life, you can learn to more effectively save money, manage debt and hold yourself fiscally accountable. Here are five quick tips to help you get started.

by A M B E R M E Y E R

1

TRAC K YOU R S PE N DI NG. For one month, use only one credit card. When you get your statement, go over it line by line, categorizing your purchases to see where your money is going. So often, people are shocked to learn how much they spend eating out. Spending $5 on a coffee might not seem like much, but doing so five days a week adds up to $100 a month. That’s $1,200 a year.

For a more complete picture, sign up for free personal finance app Mint. It takes a few minutes to set up, and once you connect all of your accounts, you can

8 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

easily analyze your spending habits, set goals, get bill reminders and monthly credit score updates, and even receive alerts when you’ve blown your monthly budget on lattes again.

2

PAY YOUR BAL ANCE WHEN YOUR STATEMENT CLOSES. If you have balances on your credit cards, you’re accruing interest every month. So you are essentially paying interest on the interest you already owe.

If you can’t pay off your balance every month, make at least the minimum

4

LI N K YOU R C H EC KI NG AN D SAVI NGS ACCOU NTS. Connecting the accounts allows you to set up overdraft protection, saving you costly fees if an automatic payment accidentally empties your account. Those overdraft charges add up quick.

Most banks allow you to set up auto transfers to savings. If yours does, set it up—it’s a great way to start an emergency fund or saving for a special purchase. Every time I swipe my Wells Fargo debit card, $1 is transferred from my checking into my savings. Just like the morning lattes, the small amounts add up quick. If you don’t trust yourself to not spend cash that’s just sitting there in your account doing nothing, get it out of there. Find a bank that will auto-transfer to an IRA instead. Keep your money working for you.

5

US E A DIG ITAL C ALE N DAR AN D RE M I N DE RS. Your phone has a calendar. Spend a half hour to add all of your bills to your calendar as recurring monthly events and set reminders so you’ll always know what bills are coming up and when they’ll be deducted from your account.

WORDS MATTER

Anslinger, the anti-cannabis zealot who led American drug policy from the 1930s into the 1960s, institutionalized the

Should we be calling it cannabis or marijuana?

Sensi senior editor LELAND RUCKER offers his elevated perspective.

word in the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act, and most laws,

Strictly from an etymological perspective,

NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project.

“cannabis” is the preferred term. The word and usage has been traced back to

including the Controlled Substances Act, use the term marijuana (or marihuana), as do advocacy groups like Dr. William Woodward of the American Medical Association explained the difference perfectly during hearings before

Herodotus, who recorded cannabis use in The Histories, and is

the passage of the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. “I use the word

probably derived from the Greek word kannabis. The earliest

‘cannabis’ in preference to the word ‘marijuana,’ because

known English usage dates to 1548, according to the Oxford

cannabis is the correct term for describing the plant and its

English Dictionary. The botanical term was proposed in 1722

products. The term ‘marijuana’ is a mongrel word that has

and its “elevating” properties first mentioned in 1848. Before the

crept into this country over the Mexican border and has no

20th century, cannabis was prominently listed as an ingredient

general meaning, except as it relates to the use of cannabis

in pharmaceutical medicines made by American companies.

preparations for smoking. It is not recognized in medicine,

The term marijuana came later. It comes from the Mexican Spanish, originally marihuana, and its origins have been traced to the word mallihuan, which means prisoner,

and hardly recognized even in the Treasury Department.”

That said, you will probably find both words in this magazine at one time or another.

or to the Chinese ma ren hua, or “hemp seed flower,” depending on your source, probably in the 1890s.

Marijuana came into usage here in the early 20th century, brought by immigrants during the Mexican War. Harry

Got a burning cannabis question? askleland@sensimag.com

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sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 9

{travelwell}

by B O B BY B L A C K

HEADING UP TO HUMBOLDT “It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.”

— ROBERT LOUIS S TEVENSON

California is home to some of the world’s most popular

general—than via the peaceful and picturesque Route

tourist destinations: from the historical culture of San

101, appropriately named the Redwood Highway. A few

Francisco to the winter and water sports of Lake Tahoe;

years ago, my wife and I made just such a sojourn as part

from the star-studded nightlife of Hollywood to the family

of an epic Pacific Coast odyssey from Los Angeles to

fun of Disneyland and Universal Studios. For us nature

Portland. For those wishing to take a similar road trip and

lovers, the Golden State also features some of the most

enjoy the wonders of Humboldt County for themselves,

jaw-dropping landscapes in the nation, including Yosemi-

allow me to recount some of the highlights:

te, Big Sur, and Joshua Tree—all of which, though quite

Driving up the 101, one of the first few towns you pass

beautiful, tend to be swarmed with sightseers during the

through is Garberville. Garberville is the site of the popular

nicer parts of the year. But if you’re looking for a more

Reggae on the River—a four-day music festival that takes

low-key getaway, one that’s a little quieter and less

place on the bank of the Eel River in early August each

crowded, you might consider venturing a bit further

year—as well as the short-lived Cannabis Film Festival. It’s

north—past all of that hubbub and up into the wonderful

also home to several quirky little roadside attractions,

wilds of Humboldt County.

including the One-Log House (a small home carved out of a

First and foremost, Humboldt is best known for its

single, giant hollowed-out log) and the 1,800-year-old

trees. Ok, yes—the smokable kind, too. Humboldt, along

Grandfather Tree, where, at the gift shop, you can pick up

with Medocino and Trinidad counties, comprise the

your very own live redwood burl. Up the road a ways is

legendary “Emerald Triangle”—the region long credited as

another unique souvenir shop called the Legend of Bigfoot,

producing some of the best cannabis in the world. The

where you’ll find all sorts of carved wooden treasures, as well

ones I’m referring to, however, are California’s official

as anything and everything related to the mythical Sas-

state trees, the fabled redwoods. Redwood trees aren’t

quatch of the sequoias. Garberville proper is a quaint little

just the oldest living organisms on the planet (up to 2,000

town filled with cozy places to rest your head or grab a bite

years), they’re also the tallest, reaching heights of up to

before heading up into Redwood State Park. For a hearty,

350 feet. There’s almost no better place to see these

home-style breakfast, make a pit stop at the Woodrose Café.

majestic beings—and no better way to see Humboldt, in

Or for slightly fancier fare, try Cecil’s New Orleans Bistro.

10 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 11

A giant sequoia with candelabralike branches is the main attraction of Drive-Thru Tree Park, where travelers can drive through a tunnel carved into the tree’s trunk.

eats

ARCATA SCOOP // Arcata

FACEBOOK.COM/ARCATASCOOP

THE LIGHTHOUSE GRILL // Trinidad TRINIDADLIGHTHOUSEGRILL .COM

PASTA LUEGO // Arcata COCOPASTALUEGO.COM

CAFE BRIO // Arcata

CAFEBRIOARCATA.COM

WOODROSE CAFÉ // Garberville THEWOODROSECAFE.COM

MOONSTONE BEACH BAR & GRILL // Cambria MOONSTONEBEACH.COM

AT T RAC T IONS GRANDFATHER TREE // ONE - LOG HOUSE // Garberville IMMORTAL TREE // PAUL BUNYAN STATUE // Redcrest SHRINE DRIVE - THRU TREE PARK // Myers Flat LIVING CHIMNE Y TREE // Phillipsville

From Garberville, it's just another 10 minutes or so up the road until you reach the entrance for the Avenue of The Giants, a scenic byway that runs parallel to the 101 for 31 miles, leading you through the 50,000-plus acres of old-growth redwood groves in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. These forests, among the most serene and majestic

AVENUE OF THE GIANTS LEGEND OF BIGFOOT GIF T SHOP // Garberville WORLD’S TALLEST TOTEM POLE //

City Center Road, McKinleyville

CONFUSION HILL // GRAVIT Y HOUSE REDWOOD SHOE HOUSE // Piercy

scenery in America, are an absolutely ideal spot for a hike, a picnic, some quiet meditation, or a relaxing smoke break—a sentiment shared by legendary director Oliver

along the route worth a photo op are the Eternal Tree

Stone, who happened to be enjoying a joint when we were

House, the Living Chimney Tree, and the Immortal Tree,

lucky enough to bump into him and his wife in the Found-

which is located directly across from the can’t-miss giant

er’s Grove. Just remember to be extra super careful with

statues of Paul Bun­yan and his blue ox Babe.

any matches or roaches. These trees are far too precious to risk starting a fire here.

With their impressive heights, it’s no surprise that the

While you can drive right along the shoreline for the majority of the Pacific Coast, the same cannot be said for Humboldt County. Here, the Pacific Coast Highway (Route

redwoods can be rather wide as well (up to 25 feet in

1) turns inland and is gobbled up by the 101, making the

diameter). Some are so wide, in fact, that you can drive a

shore a lot harder to access. But if you’re feeling extra

car through them, and naturally there are places where

adventurous, you might consider taking the long detour

you can do just that—namely, the Shrine Tree and the

off the main highway to explore the rugged Lost Coast,

Chandelier Tree. Some other famous tree attractions

including the small fishing hamlet of Shelter Cove (just

12 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

?

what? when?

WHERE

MADAKET CRUISES WHAT: Take in the sights of the coast on a historic vessel. Cruises include historical, eco/wildlife, sunset/cocktail, full moon or fireworks (4th of July only).

WHEN: Check website for tour times WHERE: Humboldt Harbor, Eureka HUMBOLDTBAYMARITIMEMUSEUM.COM/ MADAKETMAINPAGE

under an hour’s drive southwest of Garberville), where you can snap a few photos of the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse and take some sun on the secluded Black Sand Beach.

Further north, as the 101 snakes westward back towards the shore, you’ll find a number of great little towns that make up the county’s main population center: there’s the charming Victorian village of Ferndale; Eureka, an artist and artisan haven (and the seat of the county); and, on the other side of the bay from Eureka, Arcata, home to Humboldt State University and one of the oldest movie theaters in the country—not to mention a thriving glass art community, a few gourmet ice cream parlors,

ALE & SPIRITS TRAIL Humboldt Beer Tours WHAT: Drink your way up the redwood highway at some of the many breweries, distilleries and cider houses along the way.

WHEN: When you’re done driving for the day, of course.

WHERE: Along Route 101

and even an indoor skate park.

HUMBOLDTBEERTOURS.COM

chow down on some fresh, delicious seafood right on the

L ANTERN FLOATING CEREMONY WHAT: A 35-year-old peace ceremony that commemorates the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the ancient Japanese custom of floating lanterns on the lake.

WHEN: August 11, 2018 WHERE: Klopp Lake, at the Arcata Marsh CITYOFARCATA.ORG/365/L ANTERNFLOATING-CEREMONY

DICK TAYLOR CHOCOL ATE FACTORY TOURS WHAT: A 45-minute tour showing how its organic, fair-trade chocolate is made and packaged, plus a 15-minute tasting.

WHEN: Check website for tour times WHERE: Eureka DICKTAYLORCHOCOLATE.COM

RAMPART INDOOR SKATE PARK WHAT: 4,000 square feet of indoor wooden ramps, artwork, and music for skaters and BMX riders.

WHEN: Open year-round WHERE: Arcata

Head up a bit further, and you’ll have easier access to more beautiful beaches, including Moonstone Beach.

Known for its craggy outcroppings, tide pools, and hidden sea caves (accessible only at low tide), Moonstone is a popular destination for amateur rock climbers and surfers.

After working up an appetite spelunking or hanging ten, beach at the Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill.

Another 15 miles up the road in Trinidad is Agate Beach, named after the many smooth, colorful stones you’ll find in the tidal pools along its shore. It’s a remote spot that’s ideal for whale, sea lion, and bird watching, as well as beachcombing—but definitely not swimming, as its notoriously rough waters and riptides make it too dangerous. While in Trinidad, you have to stop at the Lighthouse Grill to try one of their trademark “mash cones”—a savory waffle cone stuffed with mashed potatoes and topped with your choice of beef, bacon, cheese, gravy, or veggies.

Beyond that, it’s just another two-hour drive through Prairie Creek Redwoods Park until you hit the northern county line. Where to go from there is entirely up to you: do you head back down to revisit your favorite spots and catch some of the attractions you missed? Grab a flight home from Arcata/Eureka airport? Or continue your adventure northward into Oregon? In the end, it’s not where you end up that matters, but the memories you made and lessons you learned along the way. Here’s hoping that your journey through Humboldt is enjoyable, enlightening, and elevated.

RAMPARTSKATEPARK.ORG sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 13

{aroundtown}

by VA P O R E L L A

LA BREA TAR PITS & MUSEUM 5801 WILSHIRE BLVD. LOS ANGELES TARPITS.ORG

LIVING LA BREA LOCA One of LA’s most prominent anti-socialites comes clean about her dirty obsession with the Tar Tar Pits.

Sure, Los Angeles is lacking in gothic cathedrals, Greek columns, and remnants of lost civilizations. We all agree on that. But anyone who says LA has no history has obviously never been to, heard of, or breathed in the wonder that is the La Brea Tar Pits—and what a pity that is. If you even remotely liked Jurassic Park or Denver the Last Dinosaur and you’ve never paid a visit to the most awesome, active Historic-Cultural Monuments in the city, let me help you straighten out your priorities because you’re doing LA all wrong. (Don’t worry—so are a lot of other Angelenos).

I can’t quite put my finger on when exactly my obsession with the Pits started, but like so many things in life I’m pretty sure The Flintstones are directly responsible. This older-thanold stomping ground for giant sloths, mastodons, and saber-toothed tigers lies smack in the middle of a Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, and Mid-Wilshire Venn diagram. Today (and probably tomorrow), archeologists, excavators, and oh-so lucky volunteers slough through 11,000 years of muck to unearth fossils from the Pleistocene Era, which was about 65 million years after dinosaurs went extinct.

Walk the dog, push the stroller, wheel a wheelchair and wander the grounds to watch methane gas bubble and boil from underneath prehistoric natural asphalt, a.k.a. tar—which in Spanish, I was shocked to learn, translates to la brea. Meaning the literal translation of the park’s name is “The Tar Tar Pits.” (Seriously?).

14 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

The venue’s most recognized feature is its notorious Lake Pit—the biggest, steamiest, death-trappiest of all the pits in the park. It might not smell so great, but people sure do love to take selfies in front of it, which is odd because in the Lake Pit is a giant recreation of a mammoth family losing one of its clan in the tar. It’s quite sad really, but hey—Instagram calls.

Named after a real estate developer, philanthropist, and amateur paleontologist, the George C. Page Museum is well worth the cost of admission (though Yelp may disagree). For only $17, you gain entry to the museum, which includes access to the exhibits, and you get to watch a movie: Titans of the Ice Age 3D—a 25-minute film narrated by Christopher Plummer that’s actually pretty well done. Fair warning, though: there is animal-on-ani-

COURTESY OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 15

COURTESY OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

mal violence, so if you’re bringing your young ones

see what an active fossil deposit looks like. Further around

(admission is only $5 for kids ages 3-12), you may need to

the bend are some of the findings from Project 23, an active

explain to them that this is not the same Ice Age with

dig site that started when LACMA (Los Angeles County

Scrat the saber-toothed squirrel that they’re used to. This

Museum of Art) began construction on an underground

one is far more bloody—and in 3D.

parking garage next door to La Tar Tar. Over 16,000 bones

If you’re not satisfied scaring your kids with the movie,

have thus been catalogued since the first fossil was found in

there are plenty of other exhibits in the Page that can

2006. They even excavated the remains of a prehistoric

make them squirm: there’s the bad animatronic animals,

camel. No word yet if they will be naming him “Joe.”

the rows upon rows of tiny bird skulls, and over 400 dire

For those of you who think you could unstick yourself

wolf skulls, plus there’s Zed, the 12-foot-tall-skeleton of

from a clumsy fall in la brea (where many a modern pigeon

an actual Columbian Mammoth. There’s also the lone

and squirrel still go to die), you can test your strength at

human remain of the Pleistocene Era—the leg bone of

the Tar Pull. Kid at heart? Roll down the grassy hill

what researchers have dubbed “La Brea Woman”—and

bookending the Page Museum—or better yet, twirl across

the skeleton of a Paramylodon harlani, or giant sloth.

it Sound of Music-style like this La Brea Woman does.

Harlan sloths (a.k.a. the OG Rodents of Unusual Size) grew

And the absolute best part about visiting the Pits? No one’s

up to 10 feet long and could weigh as much as 1,500

ever there. Much like the Ice Age that killed the saber-toothed

pounds. That’s bigger than your Mini Cooper, brah—and

tigers inside the museum, the Pits are virtually devoid of

probably holds more gas. And whatever you do, don’t miss

people. This, to me, is as close to earthly bliss as I can get.

the hologram of the saber-toothed tiger (the same kind

Well this, and driving on the 405 during the Oscars.

the Flintstones had as a pet). It’s not to be beat.

If you follow the path that weaves you around the

La La Land may be lacking in prewar pretension, but it’s definitely not lacking in prehistory. Spend a day at La Brea

pit-sequestered lawn, you’ll eventually come across the

and experience what it was like to actually live like a

Observation Pit. Here, during regular visiting hours, you can

Flintstone—brontosaurus burger not included.

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GOING

MAINS

by LEL AND RUCKER

18 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

TREAM To reach the coveted NEW DEMOGRAPHIC of cannabis users, MARKETERS are realizing they have to reach beyond the tired OLD STONER stereotypes.

If you caught

THE OFFICIAL THEATRICAL TRAILER FOR THE HERO

THIS SPRING, YOU’D THINK THE FILM WAS A CLASSIC REDEMPTION TALE ABOUT AN AGING

H O L L Y W O O D S T A R P L A Y E D B Y S A M E L L I O T T, T H E S M O O T H - V O I C E D, T H I C K- M U S T A C H E D AC TOR WHO MADE HIS SILVER SCREEN DEBUT IN BUTCH C ASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID IN 19 6 9. NICK OFFERMAN, THE BURLY GUY BEST KNOWN FOR HIS PORTRAYAL O F M A N’S M A N R ON S W A N S O N I N N B C ’ S PA R K S A ND RE C RE AT ION , C O S TA R S . B U T I F YO U S AW A TRAILER FOR THE SAME FILM AT A DISPENSARY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, YOU’D THINK

THE HERO IS A BUDDY COMEDY IN WHICH “SAM ELLIOT T AND NICK OFFERMAN GET STONED. REALLY, REALLY STONED.”

And rightfully so: that’s the exact phrasing that

David Wilfert, the advertising and marketing

appears amid clips of Elliott and Offerman rolling

consultant behind TWBE, says The Orchard

joints, talking strains, getting high, and laughing

approached him in the spring about how to market

about how Elliot’s deep cowboy drawl could sell “a

The Hero to cannabis consumers. “I suggested we

shit-ton of pot” during a 60-second trailer target-

re-cut the trailer to play up the stoner buddy angle

ing cannabis consumers. The custom spot wasn’t

between Elliott and Offerman,” he says. “Add

some bootleg ripoff cut together by pot-loving

another level to the story.” The directors agreed

film aficionados with time on their hands. It was

and collaborated with Wilfert to create the new

an official trailer, commissioned by The Orchard,

version. Once that was complete, the challenge

which acquired the film’s distribution rights at

was getting it in front of its targeted audience of

Sundance earlier this year, and created by the

legal cannabis users—a group that runs the gamut

creative agency arm of The World’s Best Ever

from 21-year-old gamers to 76-year-old grandmas.

(TWBE), a Webby-nominated culture site.

Traditional methods wouldn’t work because there

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 19

is no typical cannabis user. What do a majority of cannabis users have in common? When they need to buy some pot, they go to a dispensary.

So that’s where the trailer needed to go.

Wilfert connected with an LA-based media company that operates an in-store network of televisions streaming ads and limited cannabis programming. The Hero’s pot-centric trailer was soon part of the lineup. “Customers in a pot shop see a TV playing a trailer with these two guys smoking pot, and it’s very relatable,” Wilfert says. The spot was shown in 182 dispensaries in California leading up to The Hero’s theatrical release. (Today, you can find both trailers on YouTube, but

36 percent of consumers in

Colorado identify as very social people who enjoy the outdoors at a higher rate than those who merely accept cannabis use or reject it entirely.

AS CI TED BY BDS ANALYTICS

the film’s official website only has the original pot-free version.)

This type of targeted marketing designed to reach cannabis consumers is the latest step in marijuana’s march into the mainstream, another aspect of the New Normal. And it won’t be long before more major brands follow The Orchard’s lead. Cannabis users are an untapped demographic of consumers with money to burn. With marijuana now legal for adult or medical use in 29 states and counting, people are coming out of the so-called cannabis closet, admitting they use the elevating plant themselves or support the rights of others to do so. A landmark cannabis consumer research study by BDS Analytics, a business intelligence firm, is underway, compiling demographic and psychographic data to help marketers better understand who is using marijuana, who isn’t, and why. The initial results of the ongoing study are in—and the profile of a cannabis user that’s emerged is so far removed from the tired old stoner clichés.

The average annual household income of California “Consumers”— people who use cannabis—is $93,800, while “Rejectors”—people who do not use cannabis and wouldn’t consider it—average $75,900. Twenty percent of California Consumers hold master’s degrees, compared to 12 percent of Rejectors. In Colorado, 64 percent of Consumers have full-time employment, 10 percent more than Rejectors. In California, 64 percent of Consumers are parents, and 38 percent say they volunteer their time to help others. In Colorado, data show Consumers identify as creative, social people who enjoy the fine arts and the outdoors.

20 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

Basically, the actual modern cannabis user doesn’t

1978, and flicks like Half Baked, Dude, Where’s My Car?,

have much in common with the lazy pothead depicted

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Pineapple Express,

in popular culture since Reefer Madness became a cult

and the upcoming Super Troopers 2, set to be released

classic 80-some years ago.

on 4/20/18, keep resurrecting the same old jokes while

But that doesn’t stop modern-day marketers from

depicting pot users as stupid, hapless, and addicted to

trotting out the same old stereotypes time and again—

junk food. Late-night ads riddled with must-eat-all-the-

especially around the unofficial “high holiday” on April

food-now references may have felt edgy and fresh at

20. This year, you may have seen a TV ad for Totino’s

some point now come across as stale. Taco Bell’s been

Pizza Rolls, owned by General Mills, depicting a 420 angle

making not-so-subtle references to getting high for over

and pushing a #betterwhenbaked hashtag. If you were

a decade. It’s time to move on.

near the Colorado/New Mexico border, you may have

Slowly, signs of progress emerge. In 2011, General

spotted a McDonald’s billboard likening breakfast

Mills used Cheech and Chong to reach Baby Boomers

burritos to joints with the slogan “Usually, when you roll

with an ad for Fiber One brownies. The online-only

something this good, it’s illegal.” Ben & Jerry’s ice cream,

campaign sought to reassure a middle-aged audience

never one to shy away from pot references as evidenced

that regular is the new high. The narrator explains it

by flavors such as Half Baked and Dave Matthews Band

like this: “Because now that you’re getting older, you

Magic Brownies, debuted the Chill-aco, a munchie-quash-

need a new kind of magic in your brownie.”

ing waffle ice cream sandwich, on 4/20 itself.

A few years later, in 2014, just days after Colorado

Whereas the legal cannabis marketplace is still new,

became the first state with a legal recreational market,

mainstream brands creating campaigns laden with old

Spirit Airlines released an ad with this statement: “The

tropes is not—especially when it comes to the movies

no-smoking sign is off in Colorado.” Another declared,

and/or the munchies. The stoner comedy genre debuted

“If you want to make a beeline for Colorado right now,

with the release of Cheech and Chong’s Up in Smoke in

we don’t blame you—but we’re up to take you to plenty

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 21

of chill destinations.” The absence of stereotypical

director in Los Angeles, spends most of her time these

references at first glance seemed promising. But, alas,

days trying to fulfill that duty. Her creative agency is

one step forward was followed by one step back. The ad

called Redefining Cannabis, and the firm’s goal is just

concluded: “Book today…and be sure to pack some

that: create brand campaigns that “define a new era of

munchies.” (Because there aren’t any snacks in Colora-

cannabis culture,” as the website states. Redefining

do, obviously, the stoners ate them all.)

Cannabis grew out of Gabbay’s U2R1 Media agency,

That part aside, these big-name brands were among

which worked mainly with lifestyle and hospitality

the first to dip a toe into what is on track to become a

clients such as Hilton Los Angeles and Égard luxury

marketing mainstay as more states legalize cannabis

watches. Today, Redefining Cannabis lists Cannabis

use. In the interim, companies have to be careful not to

Retreats, Erbanna high fashion, and a selection of

alienate customers who still believe what they were

gourmet edible companies among its array of clients.

taught in DARE—cannabis is a no good, awful, very bad

Gabbay launched the new firm a few years ago to deal

drug—while also appealing to people who know better.

with cannabis branding and marketing for small

Wilfert explains that any company marketing to

businesses trying to distinguish themselves from other

cannabis consumers, young or old, needs to understand

similar companies—all of which are new to the newly

that users have a special connection that sets them apart

legal consumer. It’s taken over most of her time. “I’m a

from the status quo. “Pot smokers relate to each other,” he

cannabis entrepreneur now,” she says.

says. “Because of how marijuana has been criminalized

She explains that cannabis brands aren’t that much

over the past century, we’ve been placed into a secret club

different from companies in any other industry looking to

where we have shared the wonders of this plant. Now it is

market themselves without playing into the stereotypes.

our duty to open the club’s doors to everyone.”

“More companies are looking to us for expertise in how to

Sari Gabbay, a marketing consultant and creative

break into the market without looking like stoners them-

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selves,” she says in our interview. “People come to me and

subsidiary in 2014 that’s focused on cornering the

say, ‘I know what I do, but I don’t know how to market

ever-expanding market of cannabis growers. Haw-

myself.’” So she focuses her efforts on research, working

thorne Garden Company is the umbrella over a portfolio

with the client to develop a plan to connect consumers

that includes acquired companies such as General

with the brand in a meaningful way. “We are their voice,”

Hydroponics as well as craft brands like Black Magic

she says of her cannabis accounts. “How they communi-

Performance Hydroponics sold at Home Depots in

cate will help change people’s perspective about the plant.”

select markets where cannabis is legal. The hydropon-

She tells her clients that consumer education is the

ics subsidiary is producing upwards of $250 million a

key to getting rid of the stigma that continues to sur-

year, according to an October 2016 report by Bloomberg.

The average annual household income among California cannabis consumers is $ 93,000, with 20 percent of those consumers holding master’s degrees. 64 percent of California consumers are

PARENTS.

AS CI TED BY BDS ANALYTICS

round cannabis use—especially when it comes to the

This is big business, and it’s charting new territory.

medical benefits. (She does note that in California, where

The first television ad for Black Magic could be used as

cannabis is already a fully established part of the

an example of the right way to market to cannabis users

wellness community, the stigma isn’t as strong as it is in

and growers. First step: just say no to stereotypes. Black

other states.) “We’re developing products that are sci-

Magic’s ad didn’t portray pot growers as tie-dye-wearing

ence-based, that have real science behind them. Canna-

slackers. It showed clips of clean-cut guys in their 20s

bis is real medicine, and we’re working with other brands

and 30s, dressed like guys that age do, tending to plants

to spread that message, to drive consumers to that space.

in a variety of Instagram-worthy urban settings. The

Big companies are not going to sit back [while cannabis

look was sophisticated, the message modern and

brands target their customers with new products].”

inspiring, the takeaway clear: Black Magic is leading the

Scotts Miracle-Gro is one of those big companies—

charge into a future where cannabis growers (and users)

one of the biggest names in the lawn and garden realm,

can come out of hiding, emerging from literal basement

in fact. Under chief executive Jim Hagedorn, Scotts has

grows and proverbial closets empowered to garden with

invested more than a half billion dollars into the pot

a “higher purpose.” To yield to no one. This is the future.

industry in recent years, launching a hydroponics

And under the grow lights, the future looks bright.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 23

DAVID BRONNER >> COSMIC ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

24 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

The COSMIC

ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

DR. BRONNER’S

of lauded brand of NATURAL SOAPS is as much an ACTIVIST as an ENTREPRENEUR. And he’s on A MISSION to help end America’s CANNABIS PROHIBITION.

AUTHORITY

by L E L A N D R U C K E R

BEING A PROMINENT CANNABIS AND HEMP

advocate

WHILE RUNNING AN ICONIC AMERICAN SOAP BUSINESS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A DELICATE BALANCING ACT. BUT FOR DAVID BRONNER, A 44-YEAR-OLD CEO BASED IN CALIFORNIA, IT DOESN’T SEEM TO BE MUCH OF A PROBLEM. IN HIS CASE, CEO STANDS FOR COSMIC ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, A ROLE HE HOLDS AT DR. BRONNER’S, A WELL-KNOWN FAMILY-OWNED COMPANY THAT’S AS LAUDED FOR ITS TINGLING NATURAL SOAPS AND ORGANIC BODY-CARE PRODUCTS AS IT IS FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO MAKING THE

world a better place .

That commitment is outlined on the now-iconic labels of Dr. Bronner’s signature “Magic Soap”—a pure-castile liquid soap with 18 suggested uses. The company estimates a bottle is sold every three seconds somewhere in the world—I even spotted it being sold at Costco last week—and the brand’s total annual revenue cracked the $100 million mark for the first time in 2016. That’s roughly $96 million more per year than the family-owned company was earning when David took over the top leadership role in 1998 when he was just 25 years old.

A knack for business proved to be in his blood. David is a fifth-generation soap maker and the grandson of Dr. Bronner’s founder Emanuel Bronner—who, incidentally, wasn’t a doctor.

Emanuel was born in Germany to a Jewish family who produced

an olive oil-based soap that originated in the Castile region of Spain. The business brought Emanuel to the US in 1929 to consult with local soap makers, a move that ultimately spared him from the fate his parents suffered in Nazi Germany.

Emanuel was eccentric and controversial, a powerful motivational speaker who

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 25

advocated for world peace and preached against communism, fluoridation, false religions, and poor health practices. He began printing his philosophy on the packages of soaps he sold at traveling sermons where he spoke about his All-One vision. Following one notable speech in 1945, he was arrested and sent to a mental institution where he was subjected to shock treatments before he managed to escape. He headed for the West Coast, settling down in California and launching the eponymous brand of natural soaps that proved to be a hit—especially in San Francisco during the height of Hippie Power in the 1960s.

His philosophy still adorns Dr. Bronner’s labels today. Line upon line of dense text details the company founder’s guiding ethos, a series of hard-to-read independent wisdoms and religious messages.

“In all that we do, let us be generous, fair and loving to Spaceship Earth and all Its inhabitants. We’re ALL-ONE OR NONE. ALL-ONE.” “Absolute cleanliness is Godliness!” “Think and act ten years ahead!”

“Balanced food for body-mind-soul-spirit is our medicine! Full truth our God, half-truth our enemy, hard work our salvation, unity our goal. Free Speech our weapon.”

Despite his soap-making heritage, David didn’t always plan on taking over the family business. At an early age, he started working for his father, who developed the foam concentrate used by firefighters and later modified it to make artificial snow for movie and television sets. “My dad, who oversaw production, was actually head of operations,” David says at the start of our interview as he’s still catching his breath after a stand-up paddleboard experience. “Mostly I grew up doing firefighting foam and fake snow on trees and stuff. It was a lot of fun, but eventually I got into the soap side of the business.”

Still, it took awhile before he decided to follow in his family’s footsteps. As he puts it, he had some growing up to do. After he graduated from Harvard in 1995, he headed overseas and got himself a Europass. He wound up in Amsterdam, where he found an international community with a lot of American refugees from the drug war. It was there he had what he calls some major psychedelic experiences.

“I remember waking up with a vision of my granddad and realized the drug war was really a religious war on a sacrament that got politicized.

I really started to appreciate what my granddad was all about.”

He became fascinated with hemp and studied the history of its many uses and how it had been marginalized in America. His appreciation deepened for the potential of cannabis, and he decided to dedicate his life to responsibly integrating cannabis and psychedelics into modern culture. “I realized that granddad had created this engine, and I wanted to show my admiration and leverage the company for activist purposes, the first being cannabis reform. Fast forward to today, and now we are able to do that.”

After his father’s death in 1997, David took over Dr. Bronner’s operations along with his brother Michael, the company president, and the two began putting the family ethos into action. “Dr. Bronner’s Cosmic Principles” became six guiding mantras that define the company vision: Work hard! Grow! Do right by customers. Treat 26 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

“ I N ALL THAT W E DO, LET US BE GENEROUS , FA I R AND LOV I NG TO S PACE S H I P EARTH AND ALL ITS INHABITANTS. W E ’ RE ALL ONE OR NONE. ALL - ONE. ABSOLUTE CLEA NLINESS IS GODLINESS! THINK AND ACT TEN Y EARS AHEAD! BALANCED FO OD FOR BODY - MIND - SOUL - SPIRIT IS OUR MEDICINE! FULL TRUTH OUR GOD, H A L F TRUTH OUR ENEM Y, HARD WORK OUR SALVAT ION, UNIT Y OUR GOAL. ” EXCERPTS FROM DR. BRONNER’S PRODUC T L ABEL

employees like family. Be fair to suppliers. Treat the earth like home.

Fund & fight for what’s right.

The company is focused on promoting public health, environmental awareness, GMO product labeling, and fair trade and organic practices—and not just by paying lip service to philanthropic efforts. In 1999, David capped his pay at no more than five times that of the lowest-paid employee. Last year, Dr. Bronner’s donated 8.4 percent of its revenue, or about 40.9 percent of its profits before taxes, to more than 180 different causes, including drug policy reform and cannabis legalization.

David took up the cause in his early days as CEO, when the company began testing whether organic hemp seed oil should be added to the organic soap line. After many trials, they found that hemp made the lather in their soaps smoother, only to have the Bush administration put the quash on the sale of most hemp products.

David sued the DEA over the stance that hemp was the same as psychoactive cannabis, and Dr. Bronner’s became one of the first companies to incorporate hemp oil in its body care products in 2000. sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 27

As chair of the Hemp Industries Association’s Food and Oil Committee, David helped defeat a DEA proposal that would have rewritten the definition of marijuana to include hemp seed with any traces of THC, which in effect would have taken all hemp products off shelves. He went to the DEA headquarters and served the agents free bagels topped with poppy seeds (which come from the same opium plant used to make heroin) and orange juice (which has trace amounts of alcohol). “We did some stunts that heightened the absurdity of what they were doing,” he says.

On February 6, 2004—Bob Marley’s birthday, he reminds me—the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously against the DEA. “That opened up the floodgates for hemp,” David says. “It had been difficult to market our product with the DEA threatening retailers.

Once we busted it open, it’s been smooth sailing, for most part, and things started to finally open up.”

David’s activism has gotten him in trouble more than once. In 2009, he was arrested for planting hemp seeds at the DEA headquarters in Washington, DC, and three years later for milling hemp oil in a cage in front of the White House that forced police to saw through the bars to arrest him.

As well as being active in the battle to label GMO products, he is also working to make hemp an industrial crop in the United States again. Currently, some states, including Colorado, only allow hemp crops under certain conditions. “Ultimately, we need a political solution,” he says flatly, “before we can allow once hemp-friendly states like Kentucky to begin growing industrial hemp again.” In June, Dr. Bronner’s donated $100,000 to the Rodale Institute to support hemp farming and regenerative organic projects.

As for the kind of cannabis with psychoactive effects, David mentions that legalization passed in 2014 in the District of Columbia, but there are still no retail stores in the area. But he says he is still cautiously optimistic about the current administration. “We have a lot of problems with Trump, but hopefully cannabis isn’t one.”

If it becomes one, we’d bet that David will follow one of those Cosmic Principles: Fund and fight for what’s right.

And the world will benefit from it.

1973

28 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

1984

2005

2017

SHANGHAI N IGHTS

sensi

SCENE

Š PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEE STONEHOUSE

What: Sensi MJBizCon After-Party Where: Enclave, Las Vegas When: November 16, 2017 Every November, L AS VEGAS becomes the center of the cannabis world for three days as professionals from around the country head to MJBizCon. Sensi hosted its annual after-party, bringing conference-goers together for an evening of comraderie and top-notch networking. More than 5,000 people RSVPd for the free event, drawn by the chance to celebrate the advancement of the cannabis business community among industry leaders.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2018 29

Sensi Magazine sets a higher standard Named the 2017 Publication of the Year!

A DDITION AL WIN N ER S

Most Influential Individual Alexis Bortell

Nonprofit of the Year NORML

Best Flower in a Dispensary Mandarin Cookies

Cultivation Achievement Award Green Dot

Hope Award American Medical Refugee Foundation

Cannabis Business of the Year The Clinic

Best Edibles Coda Signature

Cannabis Woman of the Year Nichole West

Cannabis Executive of the Year Neil Demers

Best Medical Center Kind Love

Industry Organization of the Year Athletes for Care

Best Retail Center Diego Pellicer

Most Valuable Brand Mary’s Medicinals Activist of the Year Nurse Heather Advocate of the Year Eugene Monroe Political Industry Representative of the Year Vicente Sederberg

Most Innovative Product Quest Concentrate’s AeroInhaler Budtender of the Year Gladys Solis Manager of the Year Nick Jack Diego Pellicer

Best Extract Harmony Extracts Best Infused Product Evolab’s Angel Salve Best Hemp Product Nature’s Root Most Influential Media Source Leafly Educational Achievement of the Year Dr. Uma Dhanabalan

Lifetime Achievement Award Wanda James Best CBD Product Haleigh’s Hope 2017 Honorary Awards Mickey Martin Dr. William Eidelman 2017 Cannabis Business Award MVPs Jair Velleman Ted Daniels Josh Crosney Ashley Smither Shawn Honake

{LA | QA}

by VA P O R E L L A

Chant Up Babylon — A proud Chicagoan and self-proclaimed “Prince of Bronzeville” (a historic black neighborhood in Chicago) comedian Brian Babylon’s intelligent comedic style transcends off-color humor and race jokes—though he effortlessly and eloquently weaves both into his routines. A hot up-and-coming talent, Babylon has appeared on Comedy Central shows Why? With Hannibal

Buress and Inside Amy Schumer as well as NPR’s nerd-alert hit Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me. He also co-hosts the humorous topical podcast Old Black Magic & the Millennial and even lays down his own trap beats—both of which can be heard on his SoundCloud page.

Nowadays you can catch him performing on the Sunset Strip, hosting The Moth’s open-mic storytelling competition StorySLAM at various venues around town, or visiting his favorite dispensary, where he’s been known to buy up as much elevating products as he can stuff into a Lyft. (He’s shunned car ownership in California, where the traffic is anything but funny.)

Name: BRIAN BABYLON Handle: @BRIANBABYLON Age: 43 Occupation: COMIC/ACTOR Originally From: CHICAGO Motto: ALWAYS GET BACK ON DEFENSE. Hero: EDDIE MURPHY Listening To: TAME IMPALA & TRAVIS SCOTT

32 JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles

Local Faves Restaurant: ROCK N ROLL SUSHI Dispensary: WESTERN COLLECTIVE Edible: POUND CAKE Strain: NORTHERN LIGHTS Method of Imbibing: BLUNTS Comedy Club: LAUGH FACTORY Destination: JACO, COSTA RICA Spot to Take Out-of-Towners: SOHO HOUSE Happy Place: “MY HEAD”