Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (January 2019)

DENVER / BOULDER

THE NEW NORMAL

1.2019

Delicate Delicacy

Rocky Mountain Oysters

New Year, New You

9 Tips to Make the Most of 2019

{plus}

FULL-TIME RV LIVING SNOW SCULPTING CHAMPS TOP THRIFT SHOPS AND MORE!

SPEC IAL REPORT

Arrested for Cannabis Before it was Legal?

Expunging Those Charges Isn’t Easy.

SALVE SOOTHE YOU CAN THANK US LATER. Find more information and a list of locations at VerraWellness.com

© 2019 VERRA WELLNESS ™

AND

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P e r f o r m a n c e | T e c h n o l o g y | I n n o va t i o n

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Green Flower Support

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12 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 4 // 1.2019

FEATURES

S P EC I A L RE P O RT

74 Forgive and Forget?

More and more Americans can obtain cannabis legally. What happens to those incarcerated or with criminal records for possessing something that is lawful today?

82 Digital Gypsy

Setting yourself up for the freedom of life on the road is a journey in itself.

90 New Year, New You

9 ways to love yourself in 2019, AKA Things I Learned in Magazines.

GOOD ENOUGH, SMART ENOUGH People Love You

90

THE SUPER BOWL OF STOCK SHOWS Returns to National Western Complex for its 113th year.

every issue 15 Editor’s Note 18 The Buzz 24 NewsFeed

FIVE YEARS LATER

32 TasteBuds

HAVING SOME BALLS

40 AroundTown

WESTERN ROOTS

48 LifeStyle

THRIFTING YOUR STUFF

56 TravelWell

SLOPE-SIDE HAPPENINGS

64 HighProfile

COLD CARVINGS

122 The Scene

SENSI LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

128 HereWeGo

JUST GO, MAN!

Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 13

sensi magazine ISSUE 1 / VOLUME 4 / 1.2019

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

Ron Kolb ron@sensimag.com CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Tae Darnell tae@sensimag.com PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

Alex Martinez alex@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

EDITORIAL sensimediagroup

Stephanie Wilson stephanie@sensimag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

John Lehndorff edible.critic@sensimag.com DINING EDITOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR sensimagazine

Ricardo Baca Dr. Angie McCartney askangie@sensimag.com COLUMNISTS

A RT & D E S I G N Jamie Ezra Mark jamie@akersmediagroup.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak Josh Clark, Deb Matlock akers@sensimag.com sensimag

DESIGN & LAYOUT

BUSINESS & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E Liana Cameris liana.cameris@sensimag.com PUBLISHER

Richard Guerra richard.guerra@sensimag.com Steve McMorrow steve.mcmorrow@sensimag.com Amanda Patrizi amanda.patrizi@sensimag.com Tyler Tarr tyler.tarr@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS

Amber Orvik amber.orvik@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

Andre Velez andre.velez@sensimag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR

Hector Irizarry distribution@sensimag.com DISTRIBUTION

M E D I A PA RT N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy 14 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

WHAT’S OLD

IS NEW AGAIN

editor’s

NOTE

As a January birthday baby, I’ve got a spe-

cial affinity for this time of year. As a magazine junkie, that feeling is made all the stronger every year as my favorite national glossies all bust out shiny new versions of the age-old messages that January is a time of renewal, with tips and expert-backed tactics to help us all live our best lives, as Oprah has taught us all to do.

Pay As Little Tax As Possible Maximize Every Deduction Be Ready For An Audit

So the issue you hold in your hands is Sensi’s take on that topic. We’ve fashioned this edition around a “What’s New, What’s Next” theme—but because “what’s old is new again” is a trend on the rise in our Buffalo Exchange, Posh Mark era, we’ve got a series of articles about how to make the most of the past as well, including thrifting tips from our senior editor Leland Rucker and a look at the history of this month’s National Western Stock Show. Related, we’ve got a hilarious column about how Rocky Mountain “oysters” came to be the delicate delicacy for which Colorado is best known.

At the center of the edition is the Special Report on Record Expungement in the light of this new age of cannabis legalization. How can people who have been charged or are still in jail for a cannabis conviction get that wiped from their history or sealed?

It’s a compelling, complicated question and a timely topic, with news about how various states are handling the process coming out daily.

Elsewhere, you’ll find tips for making the transition to fulltime nomadic living, a lengthy look at the importance of magazines as self-help tools, and more.

Happy New Year. If you’ve yet to make any resolutions for the coming year, may I suggest this one: To love yourself unconditionally.

Cheers,

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RESOLUTION:

Money Management 5 Tips for Financial Health

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 save money more effectively, manage debt, and hold yourself fiscally accountable. Here are five tips to get you started.

1. Track Your Spending For one month, only use 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 or ordering in via almost-too-easy apps like Uber Eats. Spending $5 on a coffee might not seem like much, but doing so five days a week adds up to $100 a month, $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 your accounts, you can 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.

18 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

2. Pay Your Balance 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 payment the day after your statement closes. Don’t wait for your due date. You can’t avoid interest on previous purchases, but you can avoid additional interest on newer purchases by implementing this strategy.

3. Use Autopay We all know if we are late paying our bills, there’s almost 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 your bills on autopay. This will ensure you never miss a payment and will force you to budget your money to maintain the necessary balance in your checking account.

Banks already make money on your money; don’t give them more of it for nothing.

The Beat(en) Path

Not everybody in Denver knows that Beat mentor and “unnatural son”

Neil Cassady, protagonist of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, Hunter Thompson muse, and driver of the Merry Pranksters bus memorialized in Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, grew up in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. Cassady would have been 93 years old next month, and to celebrate, the Cassady estate is hosting its 10th annual Birthday Bash on February 8 and 9 to remember his infamous and eventful life.

Everything kicks off Friday upstairs at the Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street, with music by the David Amram Quartet and Jello Biafra, poetry and memories. Saturday’s lineup starts at 4 p.m. at the Alamo Drafthouse, 4255 W. Colfax Ave., with panels, poetry, and an evening of Beat films beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets for the Mercury Bash (with Amram and Jello) are available at brownpapertickts.com and for the Alamo (poets, speakers, and films) are available at DRAFTHOUSE.COM

–Leland Rucker

4. Link Your Checking and Savings Accounts 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 quickly.

Most banks allow you to set up an auto-transfer to savings. If yours does, set it up—it’s a great way to start an emergency fund or to begin saving for a special purchase. Every time I swipe my Wells Fargo debit card, $1 is transferred into my savings. Just like the morning lattes, the small amounts add up quickly. 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 into an IRA instead. Keep your money working for you.

5. Use a Digital Calendar and Reminders Your phone has a calendar. Spend a half hour adding all your bills to it as recurring monthly events and set reminders so you’ll always know what bills are coming up and when the funds will be deducted from your account.

Eliminate surprises and stay outta the red in 2019.

–Amber Meyer sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 19

Fizzy Fun

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We promote professionalism to help lay a solid foundation for industry growth and progress.

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Cannabis-infused skincare and bath products are prevalent these days, with good reason: They work. This is the first in a new monthly series reviewing some of the must-try products on a dispensary shelf near you.

The Symphony Collection by the award-winning Coda Signature includes three body-melting bath bombs featuring 45 milligrams of THC and 45 milligrams of CBD each.

The collection includes three varieties: Uplift, with an energizing blend of vibrant grapefruit, bergamot, black pepper, and sweet marjoram—plus a dash of rosemary to help with focus; Balance, with patchouli, lavender, and rose geranium; and Calm, with the earthy aroma of cedar wood blended with lavender.

Drop a single bath bomb into a tub filled with warm water, submerge yourself, breathe deeply, and let the effervescent experience wash over you. Those are pretty basic instructions for any bath bomb. But the experience I had with these bombs was unlike any soak I’ve enjoyed before.

You see, I carry all my tension in my back, a condition that’s exacerbated by long, motionless stints at the desk in my home office where I like to spend the overnight hours writing undisturbed by the constant barrage of notifications that define the daylight hours. At the end of a recent binge-writing session, my upper back had completely locked up. When I stood up to call it a night, you could hear the muscles grinding against each other when I rolled my shoulders. Given the twitching muscles and massive amounts of caffeine I had running through my system, I knew it would take a lot to calm my body and mind.

I filled my tub, dropped in the calming lavender bomb, and settled in. Soon enough, the muscles in my back melted into the water. I felt my heart rate slow, I began to breathe deeper. While I typically can only spend about 10 minutes in a hot bath before emerging, this night, I got lost in the book I was reading, topping off the bath with warm water multiple times before emerging and stumbling to my bed where I crashed in a relaxed state.

Two nights later, I repeated the experience. I started sharing the story with friends, and discovered I wasn’t alone in my bath bliss: the recommendations for the Coda Bath Bombs that came from anyone who’s had the joy of trying them were universal.

A set of three runs for about $30, and you can find them at dispensaries around Colorado. So if you’ve resolved to make self-care a priority this year, start here.

–Stephanie Wilson

Words of Wisdom

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, ‘It will be happier.’”

—Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland

National Plan for a Vacation Day 2019

It’s a kinda-sorta holiday to remind you to plan a holiday, and that’s

something we can all get behind. This year, January 29 is #TravelTuesday, thanks to Project: Time Off—an organization powered by the US Travel Association—which has declared the last Tuesday of January a day for planning the year’s getaways to ensure no vacation day goes unused. It’s time to stop making excuses and start making plans. Pick out a destination, determine a realistic budget, and put in for your days out of the office.

Then start dreaming of the details.

And as it turns out, the act of planning a vacation is proven to deliver as much happiness as the act of taking the vacation itself. So use this month to determine how many vacation days you’ll have at your disposal this year and then figure out how you are going to make the most of them. You’ll be more likely than ever to actually use all of your paid time off.

–Caitlin Davies

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sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 23

{newsfeed }

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

24 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

FIVE YEARS LATER A half-decade after this crazy legal recreational cannabis experiment began, the State of Colorado is still learning from its mistakes.

It’s kind of hard to believe, but January 1 marks five

Though he has a documented history of violent be-

years since recreational sales of cannabis began in Colo-

havior, road rage, and outbursts of anger, Kirk claims that

rado. For so many of us who still remember buying dime

the marijuana caused him to open a password-protected

bags of brown sticks and stems and taking whatever you

lock-box, take a loaded gun from it, and kill his wife while

were given from your dealer—no questions asked—it’s

she was on the phone begging a 911 operator for help.

definitely been a godsend.

A partially eaten edible was discovered in the home, and

Colorado, where polls closed an hour before Washington,

a toxicology report found that Kirk had 2.3 nanograms of

became the first state to legalize cannabis for adult use in

THC per milliliter of his blood, below the five nanogram

the 2012 election, and Amendment 64—the ballot mea-

limit for stoned driving. Still, he claims the pot made him

sure that created the framework for the commercial sale of

do it. “I know with certainty if I did not ingest that marijua-

the federally illegal plant—for the most part, has stood the

na edible, Kris would still be here today,” he says.

test of half a decade. Our legislators, regulators, and opera-

Right about the same time, New York Times columnist

tors are often sought after by people around the world when

Maureen Dowd came here to report on legalization. She

they have questions about how legalization is working.

ignored the advice she was given about edibles at the

I remember giddily standing in line on that first day at

dispensary where she shopped and wound up curled

a Denver dispensary—January 1, 2014—to purchase an

in a ball in her hotel room thinking she had died. Her

eighth of an ounce of legal marijuana and wondering what

column became a kind of wake-up call on edibles, es-

was going to happen. The television stations and newspapers

pecially after another report claimed that a young man

were filled with stories about the long waiting lines and dis-

apparently ate an edible and jumped out of a motel

ruptions in the supply chain, the same stories that dominate

window to his death.

the coverage of every state that changes its laws. Ho, hum.

The state was unprepared for the fallout. The law had

Have we learned anything? You bet. I was reminded of the

been built around the one created for medical patients,

state’s earliest missteps recently when Rocky Mountain PBS

most of whom were used to higher dosages. Under the

interviewed Richard Kirk. You might remember him. He is

original rules, for instance, consumers were told that a

serving a life sentence for shooting his wife in the head while

candy bar contained 100 milligrams of THC and to slice

their children were home on April 14, 2014. At the time of his

or bite off what you wanted, which wasn’t adequate for

crime, Kirk blamed his actions on the marijuana edible he had

novices and newbies. And as Dowd found out, sometimes

ingested, and apparently he still blames the THC.

it takes a couple of hours for edibles to kick in. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 25

26 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Not everybody was happy with the result, but the state spent a couple of years refining rules and regulations around edibles that better reflect the majority experience. Changes were made in packaging, and servings are now limited to 10 milligrams a dose. Edibles can’t come in animal shapes (an effort to reduce children’s interest in trying the “candy”), and each serving contains a THC stamp. The stories about dangerous edibles have dried up. No one else, at least so far, has claimed cannabis caused them to commit a horrendous crime.

that date back to the 1930s film, Reefer Madness. It was

And who could forget the state’s first cannabis “edu-

so badly thought out and in such poor taste that the Boul-

cation” effort? Soon after legalization, in 2014, Gov. John

der County School District, certainly no fan of cannabis use

Hickenlooper’s office unveiled a high-profile marketing

among children, came out publicly against it, and the cam-

campaign intended to deter teens that included the instal-

paign folded as quickly as it arrived.

lation of a number of super-sized lab-rat cages in locations

The state learned its lesson here, too. Today’s educa-

around the state. It was immediately assailed—and cor-

tion programs are more lighthearted and informative—

rectly so—for its resemblance to failed scare campaigns

the latest includes video tips from “Meg the Budtender,” sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 27

28 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Denver media coverage reached fever pitch in the days leading up to Halloween, with television announcers suggesting to gullible parents that evil pot smokers would not hesitate to dose innocent children.

pertinent information on health effects, and tips for those

people never seem to learn.

tourists who visit the state because they’re curious about

All these areas are signs of an emerging industry, and we

legal cannabis. And the section for parents emphasizes

still have things to get right. Most importantly, the state

actually talking with your children—what a concept—

needs to match the way it treats alcohol when it comes to

over trying to frighten them.

social consumption. Adults and tourists need places to con-

And the great Halloween “cannabis candy” alarms pro-

sume. Since testing for driving under the influence of canna-

moted by the Denver Police Department and anti-canna-

bis is still based around roadside exams designed for alcohol,

bis groups have finally stopped here. The first couple of

the state needs to come up with a better way to distinguish

years, Denver media coverage reached fever pitch in the

cannabis-altered driving than just a blood-content level.

days leading up to Halloween, with television announcers

The state hasn’t yet dealt with what to do about fel-

suggesting to gullible parents that evil pot smokers would

ons and inmates with cannabis-related offenses. Having

not hesitate to dose innocent children. This despite the fact

a legislature dominated by Democrats and a new gover-

that there had never been a credible report of candy-lacing

nor who might already have his own ideas about cannabis

in the state and that the idea that pot smokers would put

laws here is a positive.

marijuana gummies in kids’ Halloween tote bags to make them sick is abhorrent and stupid.

And things could be a lot worse. The state of Maine, which approved a ballot measure legalizing cannabis

There are still no documented cases of kids being poi-

for adults more than two years ago, still hasn’t opened

soned by marijuana-laced Halloween candy anywhere at

stores, and Congress has held up funding for retail outlets

any time. Zero. Yet October headlines in other states this

in the District of Columbia, where most members live, de-

year included, “Authorities Concerned About Candy That

spite the fact that a vast majority of DC citizens voted to

Could Get Kids High” and “Those Gummy Bears in Your

legalize in 2014. Think about that the next time you visit

Child’s Halloween Bag Could be Edible Marijuana.” Some

your favorite dispensary. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 29

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{tastebuds }

by J O H N L E H N D O R F F

HAVING SOME BALLS The offal truth about Colorado’s affection for Rocky Mountain “oysters.”

Until I started handling balls on a regular basis, I really didn’t feel very comfortable about the task. Frankly, no-

What Is a Rocky Mountain “Oyster?”

Rocky Mountain “oysters”—also called prairie oysters,

body expects to be standing there holding large slippery

mountain tenders, calf fries, and huevos de toros—come

testicles in their hands. You don’t think you’ll end up peel-

from buffalo, beef, lambs, turkeys, and even goats, and

ing the skin off of balls like a condom. They need to be

preferably young animals because the gonads of old-

sliced, an action that can make even stout men shrink.

er ones taste much gamier. “Oysters” are almost always

I was working in a long-ago Boulder restaurant, Tom

served fried in a coating or batter with spicy dips, including

Horn’s, named after a hired killer hanged in Cheyenne

cocktail sauce, duk (apricot and horseradish) sauce, and

in 1903 and buried in Boulder. The “oysters” arrived in a

spicy aioli.

10-pound frozen block that was quite a sight as the tes-

You needn’t hunt around for evidence of Colorado’s

ticles gradually thawed. I was initially squeamish but after

preoccupation with Rocky Mountain “oysters,” as they

you prepare Rocky Mountain “oysters” for a while they

are served across the state, including at Denver Interna-

seem like just any other cut of meat.

tional Airport. At Coors Field, the Rocky Mountain Po’Boy

32 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Where to Sample Rocky Mountain “Oysters” Buckhorn Exchange Denver // BUCKHORN.COM

Bruce’s Bar

Severance // BRUCESBAR123.COM

The Fort

Morrison // THEFORT.COM

Creekside Cuisine and Craft Beer Manitou Springs // CREEKSIDECUISINE.COM

Timberline Steaks & Grille,

Denver International Airport, Concourse C // FLYDENVER.COM

Golden Flame Hot Wings,

Co. Springs, Aurora, Parker, Castle Pines // GFHWINGS.COM

The Gashouse

Edwards // GASHOUSE-RESTAURANT.COM

Lulu’s Inn

Watkins // LULUSINN.COM

comes filled with “oysters,” garlic slaw, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Company crafts

Pearl-Diving Colorado’s “Oyster” History When you see lists of Colorado’s iconic foods, Rocky

a seasonal Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout brewed with 25

Ford cantaloupe, Olathe corn, and Palisade peaches are

pounds of roasted bull testicles.

often mentioned, along with Colorado lamb. The one dish

In Colorado Springs, the new minor league baseball

always included is Rocky Mountain “oysters.” The question

team asked fans to pick its name from among five final-

is: Other states are associated with things like cheese.

ists including Punchy Pikas and Happy Campers. The top

How did Colorado end up with testicles?

vote-getter was: the Colorado Springs Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain “oysters” are part of Colorado’s ranch-

Oysters. The team instead chose the Rocky Mountain

ing history celebrated each January at Denver’s Nation-

Vibes with a s’more-shaped mascot. Squeamishness won

al Western Stock Show. In the spring at ranches across

the day. That happens a lot with balls. After all, the kick in

the region, young bulls are castrated in an effort to grow

the groin is one of the mainstays of physical comedy and

more meat and less bull-in-a-china-shop aggression. Af-

adolescent humor.

ter harvesting, the fresh testicles are often cooked over sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 33

34 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Balls are low-fat, high-protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals.

Traditionally, consuming gonads made the meal manlier, but that effect is more symbolic than actual.

the branding coals at so-called “nut frys.” They were done

wizard who opened the The Fort restaurant in Morrison.

cooking when they, uh, explode.

It was built as a replica of a Colorado frontier fort, with a

Making sure every part of the animal is put to use and

menu reflecting the region’s outlaw, frontier, and cowboy

never wasted was an essential part of ranching life and

provenance. His invitation to a curated judging of five kinds

the Native American belief that you honor the animals you

of “oysters” opened my eyes to the dish’s finer aspects.

slaughter. Besides, if you’re going to eat an animal’s butt or belly, you might as well eat his balls, too.

The Fort was also the family home where the current owner, Arnold’s daughter Holly Arnold Kinney, grew up.

Organ meats—sometimes called offal—have largely

“My father was curious about all kinds of meats, espe-

disappeared from the menu, except at a few 4-star bistros

cially buffalo, and different types of fries—calf, lamb, and

and ethnic eateries where they are celebrated delicacies.

even turkey,” she says. “It goes back to Colorado’s Native

The ironic truth is that organ meats are among the most

American and ranching history. The ranchers would eat all

nutrient-dense foods and often the least expensive. Balls

parts of the animal, including the bone marrow, and make

are low fat, high protein, and packed with vitamins and

other parts into head cheese.”

minerals, including a ton of zinc. Traditionally, consuming

Sam Arnold was famous for his annual Awful Offal din-

gonads was supposed to make the meal manlier, but that

ners at The Fort, featuring buffalo tongue, “oysters,” lamb

effect is more symbolic than actual.

brains, sweetbreads, kidneys, calf liver, and blood sausage.

Rocky Mountain “oysters” are on menus at bars and eater-

“My father was a pioneer. Through his sheer personal-

ies across Colorado. One of the most famous is Bruce’s Bar in

ity and charisma, he pushed buffalo and Rocky Mountain

Severance, which dishes a sampler plate of beef, buffalo, and

‘oysters’ to the forefront by serving them in public spaces

lamb testicles and has specialized in “oysters” since it opened

and to celebrities like Julia Child,” Kinney says.

in 1957. The success of the biker bar prompted a new town slogan for Severance: “Where the geese fly and the bulls cry.”

Sam Arnold: He Gave Colorado Balls All these “oyster” purveyors, including me, owe a debt of gratitude to Sam Arnold, the man who single-handedly

She has seen all sorts of reactions over the years to “oysters” at The Fort.

“There was one funny story. There was a longtime customer, a woman going through a long, bitter divorce. When it was settled, she brought her girlfriends to The Fort and ordered platter after platter of ‘oysters,’” Kinney shares.

mainstreamed testicles in Colorado. Arnold was a Western

The Fort sells about 200 pounds of buffalo “oysters” a

history buff, early TV cooking show host, and marketing

week, she tells me, adding that millennials and younger sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 35

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Make Your Own Rocky Mountain Oysters INGREDIENTS • 6 calf, veal, or turkey testicles • 1 cup panko bread crumbs • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper • ½ tsp salt • Canola oil, for frying DIRECTIONS STEP 1: With a sharp paring knife, cut and peel the skin away from the testicles. They will peel and slice much more easily if they are slightly frozen.

STEP 2: Cut the testicles into 1-inch slices. In a shallow

baking pan, combine the panko, black pepper, cayenne, and salt. Completely coat each slice in the panko mixture.

STEP 3: Heat the oil to 375ºF and preheat oven to

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STEP 4: Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the

oven. Serve with cocktail sauce, sweet chile sauce, chutney, or spicy aioli.

— From Shinin’ Times at The Fort by Holly Arnold Kinney (Fur Trade Press, 2010)

diners are the ones doing the ordering after watching the Food Network and travel shows like Anthony Bourdain’s.

Denver’s Buckhorn Exchange is infused with Old West culture and is the Mile High’s oldest operating restaurant.

Opened in 1883, the Buckhorn is decorated with Western art and artifacts, including myriad taxidermic animals, and boasts a menagerie of meats from rattlesnake to yak on its menu.

For the first 85 years of the Buckhorn’s history, “the original sack lunch” was not on the menu, according to Bill Dutton, general manager of the restaurant for the last four decades. “We started offering them in 1978. We wanted to honor the ranch tradition, but we didn’t really know if diners would order them. Right from the start ‘oysters’ were popular,” he says.

“A lot of people order them on a dare. It’s a real tee-hee kind of dish.”

Unlike in the old days, it’s not just men ordering them.

“A lot more women are eating them, and they are not shy about it,” Dutton says. He estimates that the eatery processes about 500 pounds of calf fries weekly from 12- to 16-month-old animals.

Some of the fresh interest in calf fries and other organ meats comes from new consumer interest in whole-animal butchery and the rise of the high protein Paleo and Keto diets, according to Nate Singer, head butcher at Boulder’s Blackbelly Market. “People are rediscovering the nutritional value of organ meats and are reviving recipes used by their grandparents, but if you are going to eat organs you have to be aware of how the animals were raised and where they came from,” Singer says.

There is a large medical center located next to Blackbelly.

“The doctors send some of their patients over for bone broth and organ meats to enhance their diets,” he says.

Calf fries are only rarely on the menu at the next door Blackbelly restaurant, operated by chef Hosea Rosenberg.

Since Singer and his crew butcher whole animals, the inhouse supply of testicles is limited. “We do love bison balls.

The golden color in the older animals is amazing. It means they were grass fed all their lives. Grass fat is gold,” he says.

Whatever you choose to call them Singer agrees that while they taste great, “oysters” do not taste like chicken. Chicken liver, perhaps, but definitely not chicken.

JOHN LEHNDORFF cooks for a Boulder caterer and hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 37

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{aroundtown }

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

WESTERN ROOTS

To get where you’re going, don’t forget where you came from. The annual National Western Stock Show reminds us that Denver’s Wild Western origin got us to where we are today, at the crossroads of commerce and culture.

40 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

In 1858, a small group of prospectors from Georgia crossed the great plains of the Colorado Territory and made what’s been called a “region-changing” discovery at the base of the Rocky Mountains: Gold.

Not a whole lot of it, but that news isn’t what spread faster than a wild fire. The mere mention of the precious metal caused a stampede of get-rich-quick folks to descend on the region, hoping Colorado would be the base for the same kind of Gold Rush that had brought untold riches to some lucky folks in California less than a decade earlier.

In the early days, Denver was a bleak version of a Wild West settlement, according to Tom Noel, a former chair at the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission and a professor of history at the University of Colorado Denver. He told Visit Denver that early on, the settlement was filled with a lot of shacks, shanties, and log cabins—and teepees, too, where the Arapaho tribe, led by Chief Little Raven, lived.

Less than 50 years after that precious metal discovery, the premiere livestock show in the historic “yards” was held in town. Fast forward to today, and the National Western Stock Show—considered the Super Bowl of livestock shows—is still held each January for 16 days. The nationally recognized heritage and entertainment event hosts nearly 20 breeds of cattle and includes one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, world-class equestrian shows, and Colorado’s largest agricultural trade show.

Last year, that lineup brought in more than 705,000 visitors during its two-week-plus run (the largest stock show attendance was in 2006 for its 100th anniversary, which brought in 726,972 guests.) Denverites can celebrate the city’s rich western history and enjoy the lively entertainment

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW.

that comes in all sorts of forms: more than 15,000 animals, rodeos featuring top-notch bull riders, horse shows, livestock competitions, auctions—and acres of shopping at the state’s largest Western trade show.

It all takes place at the National Western Complex— where there’s more than 600,000 square feet of event space dedicated to the show. You won’t be able to see it all, but what you do see will be highly entertaining no matter when you attend. (A tip: Weekdays are the least crowded and easiest to navigate.)

Don’t miss the Hall of Education, located next to the Expo Hall. On the third level, you’ll find the Coors Western Art Ex-

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 41

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your interests lay, you’ll find something to deem worthy of hibit & Sale, a fine exhibition of contemporary realism of the Western United States. This particular addition to the stock show lineup dates to 1993, a joint inspiration of Coors Brewing Company and the National Western Stock Show.

The historic—and nonprofit—event is designed to strengthen American agriculture through enrichment programs and youth education in livestock, equestrian farming, ranching, animal awareness, and appreciation. “We celebrate western lifestyles, our communities, provide life-long memories and family traditions,” states the official literature.

The fun this year begins on Thursday, January 10, with the 2019 Stock Show Kick-Off Parade, led by Grand Marshall Dana Crawford, a Denver urban developer and preservationist. Weather permitting (it didn’t permit in 2017, as icy streets and hooves don’t mix, leading to its cancellation) she’ll lead the traditional drive of Longhorn cattle, horses, and western wagons through the streets of downtown Denver. The parade begins at noon outside of Ms. Crawford’s namesake hotel, The Crawford at Union Station, and marches 15 blocks down 17th Street to Tremont. The day will be officially declared as “Dress Western Day” by a City of Denver proclamation, so get your cowboy boots and hats ready to roll.

It’s a modern spectacle of an age-old tradition—an instagram-worthy experience at the very least.

Attending the stock show is a rite of passage for Denverites—a way to show your civic pride while honoring the city’s history and its future. With so many different events and happenings going down during the 16-day run, no matter where

your time and attention. From the Llama Arrival at Murdoch’s Jr. Barn on January 11 at 9 a.m. to the Colorado Rocky Mountain Fiddle Championships at Beef Palace Auction Arena on January 12 at 9 a.m. to the Colorado vs. The World Rodeo at the Coliseum on January 12 at 11 a.m., there’s a nonstop lineup of events worthy of your calendar alerts.

Here are some of the bigger highlights: FOR FOODIES:

5th Annual BBQ Throwdown SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.; FREE WITH GROUNDS ADMISSION

Forty teams compete for the coveted Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion titles in a wide range of categories, including pork, ribs, chicken, and brisket. The throwdown includes competitor viewing, live music, culinary demos, grill giveaways, free samples, and even a free beer power hour.

FOR MOTOR HEADS:

CINCH Equicross

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2:30 P.M.

A gymkhana-style rodeo—that’s a type of motorsport where speed is the focus—consisting of four events: Rescue Race, Key Hole Racing, Ring Race/Musical Ropes, and Flag Racing. Contestants are between 14 and 18 years old, competing for $5,000 in scholarship prizes.

FOR FANS OF THE RODEO:

Colorado vs. The World Rodeo MULTIPLE DAYS AND TIMES

The semi-final event takes place on Saturday, January 12 @ 3:30 p.m. and includes the coronation of Miss Rodeo Colorado. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 43

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FOR WHOLESOME FUN:

For the full schedule, which is packed with non-

Stadium Arena Mutton Bustin’

stop activities in all sorts of categories, head to

One of the most popular events, Mutton Bustin’ features children ages 5–7 and under 55 pounds riding sheep out of a chute and into the arena, trying to hold on for as long as they can.

happenings are free with a general admission to the

JANUARY 22, 6 P.M.

FOR DOG LOVERS:

Stock Dog Trials VARIOUS DATES & TIMES

From backyard pets to a rancher’s top assistant, dog’s are man’s best friend. These trials let you witness the furry herders in all their trained glory—and there’s even the 10th annual Stock Dog Sale if you’re in the market for a new companion.

NATIONALWESTERN.COM/SCHEDULE .

Many

of

the

grounds, which runs for $22 per person. You can ride a mechanical bull, catch livestock auctions, 4H shows, and rodeos of all kinds. You can indulge in fair fare, from funnel cakes to turkey legs. Your kids can hop on some free pony rides. You can browse Western-themed jewelry, arts, and crafts proffered by nearly 1,000 vendors. Catch some sheep shearing, swine shows, dancing horses, bison judging, yak seminars, top hogs of the wild west competitions. And so much more. You just have to see it for yourself—think of it as an act of support and civic pride.

Altogether, the event has an economic impact of around $115 million per year, with 60 percent of that being from non-local sources, generating $6 million in local and state tax revenues.

Those funds are expected to increase once the reimagined National Western Center campus is complete—a hefty undertaking launched five years ago and funded through Colorado State University, the Western Stock Show Association, the City & County of Denver, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and History Colorado—plus a capital campaign hoping to raise $100 million. The new campus—to be built in phases over roughly 10 years—is designed to be an international center of excellence in agricultural innovation, education, research, and technology, serving the interests of farmers, ranchers, tourists, researchers, students, and educators from around the world. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 45

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{lifestyle }

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

STUFF You can’t live with it.

You can’t live without it.

48 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

We all have stuff. Things we had when we were kids are fondly remembered and sought after as we age. My house is bursting with hoarded life detritus, and I sometimes wonder why I still have so much of it—and why it’s so hard to get rid of.

There are plenty of reasons for the accumulation. The tiny footstool my toes rest on is the very same one that I played with as a child at my uncle’s house, one of my earliest memories. I have books of post cards I once collected. I started with baseball cards back in the 1950s, graduated to singles and vinyl records in the 1960s, and have gone through all sorts of obsessions since then: books on bears, wolves, and elephants; songbooks and sheet music; CDs and now mp3s.

But when and how to get rid of that stuff can be a tough decision. I stewed on it a couple of years before unloading my vinyl records, and finally sold the collection I had been building since 1962, about 3,000 LPs strong. Though I loved everything about vinyl and was proud of the collection’s depth, as I started to accumulate mp3s and .wav files, I found less use for them. Finally, I was digging out the fading vinyl covers while listening to the digital recordings. I thought selling them would be devastating. It was liberating.

“Too much stuff, there’s just too much stuff.

It’ll hang you up dealing with too much stuff.”

–Delbert McClinto

n, “Too Much Stuf

f”

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 49

50 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

So you need money and you have a full closet. You would

thrift and bargain shops. Then cross-check your own stuff

like more of the first and less in the second. How do you de-

and see what you have that might be worth something to-

cide what to keep and what to get rid of? How much do you

day. Besides, just looking around, there’s always a chance

want to get from your possessions? How can you know which

that you find something you have been seeking that costs

things are worth something and which things are worthless?

$100 brand-new for less than a third of the price, and

Take the closet. First thing to ask yourself is when was the

that’s a good feeling to know. Things go in and out of style,

last time you wore that shirt, or coat, or pair of sneakers? When

and you have to know when to sell and when to hold.

do you expect to wear it next? The lengthier the answer, the

Fortunately, Denver has thrift shops everywhere. A quick

more reason to get rid of it. (For the record, I have two sweat-

look in the search engine brings up dozens of places that

ers from high school that, though they are too small and I will

sell things on consignment. Each is unique, which is why

never wear again, I just can’t seem to throw away.)

you have to get out there and spend some time. The easiest

The next thing is to find out what people are buying and

might be Buffalo Exchange, a national chain with two loca-

selling and for how much, and the best way is to frequent

tions in Denver and one on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder.

“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.”

–Stephen King, The Colorado Kid

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 51

The Online Option Online peer-to-peer resale sites are another option if you want to get the prices you want for your clothes or paraphernalia. All are more time-intensive than consigning your stuff. Here you’re in charge of posting and sending the items you want to sell. Overall, they’re likely to get you higher prices, but they also take more effort on your part. eBay once owned this market, but new platforms and apps are coming online every day.

Today’s competitors include Poshmark, Depop, Heroine, and Instagram’s @noihsaf.bazaar. When you read the dozens of pros/cons reviews on each, remember that the most important thing is that they work for you, so do some serious research before you jump into anything.

52 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

All are quick and easiest to negotiate. The Exchange offers

Ramones or Born in the USA t-shirt. And the South Broad-

quick and easy cash, but it’s pennies on the dollar compared

way area is a mecca for second-hand stores if you do just a

to what you could get by getting more involved.

little sight exploring. You don’t even need GPS.

Plum Consignment (2373 Central Park Blvd. #106) ad-

And for many of us, it’s just as good to donate our used

vertises itself as a clothing curator that offers nearly new,

stuff to those less fortunate before we start over. All of

mint-condition, “Banana Republic or better” clothing for

the proceeds gathered by Peak Thrift (4890 Pecos St.) go

women and children, including items from Nordstrom, An-

towards its mission of helping homeless youth get back

thropologie, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. Regal Vintage

on their feet, and there are numerous Goodwill Industries

(1866 S. Broadway), on the other hand,

and Salvation Army outlets whose profits are funneled

is stocked with vintage clothing,

back to the community. It can feel good knowing someone

collectibles, and children’s toys

else is proudly wearing something you once proudly wore.

dating all the way back to the

In the long run, no matter what you decide, ultimately,

1920s. This is where you’re

you’re going to get what you put into it. So get started, and

more likely to find that old

happy thrifting. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 53

54 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 55

{travelwell }

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

SLOPE-SIDE HAPPENINGS Head for the hills and take in some of the signature annual events taking place all winter long throughout Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

56 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder or one who prefers to not strap yourself to slippery devices and go hurdling down a mountain, there’s plenty to entertain you in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado all winter long.

There’s a host of signature events plus some one-off happenings to put on your wintery-mix radar, starting with the Norse tradition celebrating the bountiful snowfall.

55TH ANNUAL ULLR FEST

rade, which starts rolling down Main Street at 4:30 p.m.

Breckenridge // Jan. 9–12

on Thursday, January 10. In the past, floats have included

Pronounced like “ruler,” this long-running traditional

ski jumps, hot tubs, snow globes, and other seasonally

celebration originated in the 1960s, thanks to some Nor-

appropriate themes. Viking helmets are encouraged, as

wegian skiers named Trygve Berge and Siguard Rockne—

are general costumes. And since many of those costumes

thank those two for founding Breckenridge Ski Resort, too.

tend to incorporate layers and layers of fuzzy, furry ac-

The origin story goes that the duo wanted to pay hom-

cents, the costumes can be the difference between being

age to the Norse god Ullr, which the site Mythology for

a freezing spectator or a toasty participant.

Smart People describes as an “obscure and enigmatic

Another big Ullr Fest tradition is Breck’s battle with Park

Norse god” and an “excellent archer, hunter, skater, and

City, Utah, over which town holds the title for the World’s Lon-

skier, handsome, warlike, and an especially apt deity to in-

gest Shot Ski. Breckenridge Distillery is throwing its weight

voke before a duel.” The annual festival was deemed to be

behind the efforts to keep the title in Colorado, promising to

about thanking him for the area’s bountiful snowfall, but

deliver more skis, more people, and more shots this year than

as the town’s official Ullr page points out, there were also

ever before. You’ll want to sign up for this event in advance; it

a lot of snowed-in locals looking for an excuse to party.

sells out quickly, and takes place right before the parade.

Fast forward a few decades to the modern Ullr Fest,

Other Ullr happenings: Maggie Pond Ice Plunge (described

which brings out more than 12,000 enthusiasts to line

as an “activity for the brave and crazy ones”). A town-wide

the streets of the mountain village for the annual Ullr Pa-

talent show. Crowning of the Ullr King and Queen. The post-parade town bonfire—a great opportunity to retire your Christmas tree. And so much more. Visit GOBRECK.COM for

IMAGES COURTESY OF BRECKENRIDGE TOURISM OFFICE/LOUIE TRAUB

all the deets.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 57

58 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

WINTER CULINARY WEEKEND Beaver Creek // Jan. 24–27 Fancy yourself a little too…grown-up for the target demographic of the X Games? There’s a tasty mountain alternative for you to enjoy that same weekend—and it’s a bit closer to the Front Range than Aspen.

Beaver Creek’s annual luxe dining fest brings out some celebrity guest chefs for a series of intimate, luxurious culinary explorations combined with high-alpine outdoor adventures. This year’s guest chefs include Geoffrey Zakarin, Emma Bengtsson, Jamie Bissonnette, and other renowned toques from around the country. (Brother Luck of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs and Alex Seidel

WINTER X GAMES Aspen // Jan. 24–27

from Fruition and Mercantile in Denver among them.)

It all kicks off with the aptly named Culinary Kickoff fea-

With all competitions open to the public, there’s no

turing Colorado Flavors, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan-

reason not to head to Aspen for the high-flying fun and

uary 24. The tasting of the best the Centennial State has to

revelry surrounding the annual competition, which fea-

offer is showing off the small plates by Seidel, Brother Luck,

tures some 200-plus world-class action sports athletes

and Beaver Creek’s own executive chef Riley Romanin.

competing for medals and prize money. Some of the high-

Wines from Denver’s Infinite Monkey Theorem urban win-

est-profile skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers are

ery complement the offerings, as do concoctions poured by

performing their tightest tricks for the cheering crowds.

top mixologists. Tickets to the tasting run for $60.

Some of the competitions include: Big Air, Super Pope, and Slopestyle disciplines.

Friday, the Guided Snowshoe Excursion and Gourmet Luncheon is a half-day affair, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. with

As always, the Winter X Games brings out some big-

a tour of the secluded Beaver Creek Nordic Sports Center

name musicians and acts to support the energetic atmo-

and McCoy Park, which features some 18 miles of trails.

sphere. This year, the mountain stage hosts performances

After working up an appetite, let top chefs satiate you

by Lil Wayne (Friday), Louis The Child (Saturday afternoon),

with some fine dining at Grouse Mountain Grill. Tickets for

The Chainsmokers (Saturday night), and Kygo (Sunday).

this event are $150, and include all snowshoe equipment

An all-music GA pass is available for $120, with individual

and foot passenger lift access.

tickets starting at just $20, although prices go up as the

WINTER X GAMES IMAGE COURTESY OF VISIT COLORADO

event approaches.

If you can’t make it out, you can still catch the action on ESPN and ABC. If you’ve got a college ID from an accredited four-year college and you’re age 24 or younger, you’re in for a treat: For just $95, the College X Pass gets you two days of skiing and/or riding on all four mountains at Aspen Snowmass during the X Games. This is the 18th year the pass is available, its popularity helping drive the ongoing success of the winter games, which is one part elite sport competition and one part youth lifestyle festival. The pass is valid January 24–27, and must be purchased by January 23. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 59

60 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Other Friday happenings include the “Art of Dessert”

vate lessons and luncheon cost $150, and that price doesn’t

cooking demo, a craft burgers and beers gathering during

include a lift ticket or equipment rental, so you know it’s go-

Village Apres, and the Shaken & Stirred cocktail-and-app

ing to be good. Additional cooking demonstrations, gourmet

party in the Colorado Tasting Room. For the full experience,

meals, apres gatherings, and more round out the day.

opt for tickets to the super-special Willamette Valley Wine

New this year is Synesthsia: Culinary Showcase and Con-

Dinner at Trapper’s Cabin. Nestled among the aspens and

cert with Lord Huron, hosted by Geoffrey Zakarin. Taking

pine trees at 9,500 feet, the venue welcomes guests to

place Saturday evening, this event is named for the phe-

trade their boots for fuzzy slippers as they are greeted by

nomenon involving the overlap of two senses—in this case,

the staff proffering warm drinks to get the evening started

taste and sound. It starts out with a two-hour tasting from

before the culinary showcase starring Oregon’s Pinot Noir

6 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by the intimate concert at the Vilar

country begins. ($200 per person.)

Performing Arts Center. ($175 per person.)

Or if you prefer an Epicurean Escape, there’s one taking

For the full weekend lineup, head to BEAVERCREEK.COM.

place at Allie’s Cabin that evening as well. It’s featuring the delights of chef Emma Bengtsson from New York’s Aquavit—where she just earned her second Michelin Star. Capping off the gustatory delight is a sleigh ride back to Beaver Creek Village at the end of the night. ($175 per person.)

The delights continue throughout the weekend, with Ski. Eat. Ski. mountain explorations with expert instructors followed by culinary pairings on Saturday morning—for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders only. The prisensimag.com JANUARY 2019 61

#DabbleDaily DabbleExtracts@gmail.com 719.390.7269

62 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Follow us on @DabbleDaily

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 63

{highprofile }

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

At the International Snow Sculpting Championships, big snow rules in Breck.

64 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

The first time you come upon the giant snow sculptures

Riverwalk Center, literally in the middle of Breckenridge.

in Breckenridge, it’s kind of overwhelming. Sixteen larger-

Fifteen teams from China, Ecuador, France, Germany,

than-life creations, fanciful takes on classic works, eccen-

Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, and

tric creatures, and futuristic conceptions loom over and

Turkey, plus two other US teams, will gather beginning

above you. At night, gleaming in the cold dusky lights, they

January 21 to take square blocks of solid ice and snow and

seem almost ready to leap as you walk past. And then,

turn them into works of art. Public viewing begins on Jan-

after five days, they are gone.

uary 25 and extends through 7 p.m. January 30.

For Tim West, a member of Team USA-Breckenridge,

West, who owns Breckenridge Outfitters, is not an artist

the annual International Snow Sculpture Championships

by trade and says he got involved with the frozen cham-

in late January are like a siren, beckoning him to return

pionship by drinking and partying and playing with snow.

again and again. And he does.

He started competing in the Snowflake Challenge, a local

“When you experience them for the first time, they’re

sculpture event held in December, and this is his eighth or

just monumental,” West says. “To create a sculpture that

ninth year as part of the Breck team, which also includes

goes back to the earth, that melts, that is not permanent,

Keith Martin, Tom Day, and Margo Jerkovitz, plus a host of

is incredible,” he says. “People look at art as a material

other unnamed people involved in the effort.

thing, something that will outlive them, that will be around

This year, the event actually begins on January 15 with

for generations. Sometimes you don’t get the artistic val-

what is called Stomping Week. The 25-ton, 12-feet-

ue of being in the moment, of experiencing something no

square blocks used as the blank canvases are built by

one else is going to experience.”

dumping snow into forms and having locals literally stomp

The 29th edition of the International Snow Sculpture Championships is being held January 21–30, 2019, at the

it down to make it more compact.

West says that the Breck happening is one of many

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 65

66 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

snow sculpture events held in Germany, Switzerland,

West says. He says that there are lots of ideas in the pipe-

Australia, and other countries, which makes for intense

line before the final decision is reached. “That’s why we

competition. A huge festival in Sapporo, Japan, in February

have a team captain—he’ll have the final say.”

draws two million visitors. “These snow events are hap-

A model is built to precise 1:10 scale for them to work

pening all over the world,” he says. “It’s bigger than most

from. The serious work begins on January 21, and once

people think.”

the clock starts ticking, the teams have 96 hours to create

Planning starts long before Stomping Week. “We’ve been discussing ideas and designs for over a year now,”

a finished product. “I didn’t realize how much work it is because you’re grinding the whole time,” he admits.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 67

The first rule of the competition is that power equipment of any kind is banned. Which leaves the teams to their own devices. They first have to reduce their block of snow down. So the first day or so, it’s mostly lumberjack stuff, using scaffolding and ladders to use saws, axes, augurs and trowels to whittle it to sculpture size.

Then they become like Michelangelos of the snow. Using a wide variety of constantly evolving tools made from cheese graters, sandpaper, kitchen utensils and homemade sheet metal implements, they labor day and night. The colder it is, the better to work with the snow, since it dries out almost immediately with the dry air and strengthens the finished work.

By Friday night, before the public viewing begins Saturday morning, the tension has built to fever pitch, and teams generally toil through the night and up to the public opening. Friday night is also when the locals traditionally come down to check things out, and the whole thing takes on an international party feel. “You’ve busted your ass all week, you see the finish line, and you let loose a little bit,” West says. “Everybody brings libations from their home country.

One year Mexico made shot glasses out of ice, and we all got shots.”

There’s no monetary compensation for winners, but there are bragging rights among the competitors. And even if his team doesn’t win, there’s just something that keeps West coming back. “Every year, I say it’s my last year, but whether you win or not, it’s so rewarding,” West says. “The muscles are sore the first couple of weeks. But a few months later we start again, and the next thing you know, it’s here.”

68 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

If You Go The International Snow Sculpture Championships take place at the Riverwalk Center, 150 W. Adams Ave., Breckenridge Stomping Week: January 15–18.

International Snow Sculpture Championships: January 21–25.

Snow Sculpture Viewing Weekend (weather permitting): January 25–30.

More Info: GOBRECK.COM

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 69

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More and more Americans can obtain cannabis legally.

What about those incarcerated or with criminal records for possessing something that is lawful today?

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

74 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Michael Diego-Rivera was 19 years old and out with friends WHEN HE WAS STOPPED BY POLICE IN COLORADO SPRINGS. “THEY PULLED US OVER WITH GUNS DRAWN AND ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING,” HE SAYS. AFTER HE REFUSED TO ALLOW A SEARCH OF THE CAR, A WARRANT WAS OBTAINED, AND OFFICERS FOUND THREE BAGS, EACH WITH LESS THAN AN OUNCE OF CANNABIS. Those three bags led to a felony distribution charge, and

through public-interest groups like Cage-Free Cannabis,

Diego-Rivera, a citizen of Puerto Rican descent, wound up

California Cannabis Advocates, and Smart Pharm Research

taking a plea bargain that reduced the charge from distri-

Group to raise awareness and provide support by offering

bution to possession. Because he had a job, he wound up

employment opportunities, online resources, and health

serving seven months on a work-release program with three

screenings. The goal is to shine a light on the problems peo-

years probation and restitution. When he tried to get his con-

ple face after they think they have paid their debt to soci-

viction expunged from his record, he found that can’t hap-

ety. “Once you’re arrested, it’s difficult to get a job, get a loan,

pen until 2023, because he had a reckless driving charge in

get housing,” says Dan Gilmore of the Massachusetts Rec-

2013, and you have to go 10 years without any kind of offense.

reational Consumer Council, another Expungement Week

“I can’t work in the cannabis industry, which was auto-

sponsor. “They just want to continue with their lives.”

matically interesting to me, because of the marijuana felony,”

As more states decriminalize, it would seem that the

Diego-Rivera says. “It’s an opportunity I would like to pursue.

number of people arrested for cannabis infractions, espe-

But they wouldn’t let me do something I was doing anyway.”

cially for possession, would go down. That was the trend

Erving Jean Jacques was arrested in Boston more than

until 2017, when the number of arrests actually rose from

10 years ago on a firearms possession charge and served

the year before. FBI data indicate 660,000 people were

a mandatory prison sentence of a year and a half. Though

arrested in 2017 for cannabis violations, and 600,000 of

he wants to work in the cannabis industry, especially the

those, or 90 percent, were for possession.

medical side, the felony charge follows him around and prevents him from doing that in Massachusetts.

Though African-Americans and Latinos make up 31.5 percent of the population, they account for a dispropor-

He found employers hesitant to hire him once they saw his

tionate 46 percent of those arrests. While some of the ar-

record, and he had no idea how to break the cycle. “Whatever

rests reflect the continuing black market, it also means

mistake I made in my 20s, society just won’t let that go. It’s a

police are still arresting citizens for doing what people

scarlet letter, basically,” he says. “I get it that I did something

can do legally on the other side of a state line.

bad. But what about after? No one cares about that.”

Expungement is a way to acknowledge and address the

Those are just two of the many untold stories of people who,

government’s past, says Shaleen Title of the Massachu-

because of mistakes made when they were young—much of

setts Cannabis Control Division. “The ability to expunge a

the time simple possession of marijuana—can’t seem to shake

record allows people to live their lives and pursue oppor-

once they’re back out on the street. Arrest records are for life.

tunities without the failed War on Drugs following them

Marijuana convictions rarely involve long prison terms,

around and obstructing them in a way that perpetuates

but any blemish can make life more difficult once you’re out.

the discrimination built into the criminal justice system.”

There are 77 million Americans with convictions on their records, many of them for cannabis and other nonviolent,

A Patchwork of Approaches

drug-related offenses. What do you do with those who are im-

Let’s face it, the best time to tackle expungement is

prisoned or have paid their debt for possessing a substance

right now, as legalization takes hold. Canada once fined

like cannabis that today they wouldn’t be arrested for?

people up to $1,000 and gave them six months in jail for

The best way, of course, would be to allow individuals in

possession. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who cam-

those situations to have their records expunged or at least

paigned on cannabis reform, has announced the country

sealed from public viewing. (To expunge is to complete-

will initiate a program that would allow people convict-

ly eliminate a criminal record. Records can also be sealed,

ed of pot possession before it was legal to fill out a form,

meaning they can only be opened under certain conditions.)

much as it has for people convicted of same-sex partner-

Getting the word out is most important. Jacques told

ships, to get their records removed or sealed.

his story during National Expungement Week in Boston,

Oh, that it could be that easy here in the United States. “It

a weeklong event in cities around the country organized

just can’t move forward until federal law catches up,” says sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 75

Julie Saltman of Buddle, whose practice in Boulder, Colorado, is devoted to helping people understand and navigate complex cannabis laws. “There’s just this sort of roadblock in terms of what’s been created by the federal law.”

There are bills pending in the US Congress that address various aspects of legalization. Sen. Cory Booker’s bill for legalization includes expungement of records for cannabis crimes, but it might be the least likely to get any movement forward. “You know, we sit here and we say, ‘Oh, it’s so crazy that you wouldn’t want to clear the record of people for this thing that we’re all now agreeing is legal,’ ” Saltman says. “But so many people in the government writing the laws don’t think that way. They think, ‘Well, it was illegal when you did this. So…’ ” Events like National Expungement Week are a good start for raising awareness, but there’s plenty of work to be done to get this issue on the radar of the majority of people who can’t comprehend the problems those who have served time face in getting their lives back together.

In November 2018, legislators in New Jersey, who are now considering legalizing cannabis, proposed a plan that includes fast-tracking the procedure. “By streamlining the expungement process, the state can help ensure that people with criminal records for marijuana-related offenses get a clean slate,” Kate Bell, counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, said in a statement. “Nobody should be branded a criminal simply for using a substance that is less harmful than alcohol.”

In September 2018, all seven judges of the Seattle Munici-

If you have a cannabis conviction on your record or know somebody who does, online resources can help you through the process of getting rid of it. “Part of the battle is using software to automate the process of filling out a petition,” says Julie Saltman of Buddle. “We’re trying to make it so that the user can generate that from our software and just make it as simple as possible.” Find out more at BUDDLELAW.COM .

The National Expungement Week site (OFFTHERECORD.US ) also includes a wealth of information about getting rid of criminal records. Its expungement toolkit is at NATIONALEXPUNGEMENTWEEK.SQUARESPACE.COM/TOOLKIT

“How to Seal or Expunge Decriminalized Cannabis Cases,” a booklet from Greater Boston Legal Services, is another great resource: MASSLEGALHELP.ORG/CORI/SEALING-EXPUNGINGDECRIMINALIZED-MARIJUANA-CHARGES-BOOKLET7.PDF

pal Court signed an order to create a process to vacate cannabis offenses that were illegal then but legal now. More than 500 people could be affected, dating from 1996, when municipal courts began handling these cases, to 2010, when the city completely stopped prosecuting low-level cannabis offenses.

days later, the city of Denver said it would begin proac-

In Michigan, where voters just passed an initiative to le-

tively helping citizens get their records expunged. “This

galize adult-use cannabis, new Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says

is really a program based on fundamental fairness,” As-

her administration will take action to free anyone in prison

sistant District Attorney Ken Kupfner told newspapers. “It

and expunge criminal records for cannabis crimes that will

just seems like the right thing to do in these circumstanc-

become legal under the state’s recreational cannabis law.

es is to vacate and seal those convictions.”

Colorado allows juvenile records to be expunged, but

When Colorado passed Amendment 64 to legalize canna-

adults can seal their criminal convictions. It’s a process

bis for adult use in 2012, expungement of criminal records

that involves obtaining your criminal record and history,

wasn’t part of the conversation. “Back then when Colorado

filling out forms and filing a petition, which is then re-

legalized, nobody was thinking about this,” says Buddle’s

viewed by the court for approval.

Sarah Gerston. “And I think what states like Massachusetts

That could change. On December 1, the Boulder Coun-

and California are trying to do is make sure that the indus-

ty District Attorney’s Office announced that as part of a

try is accessible, particularly for those people who were

“Moving on from Marijuana” program, it would vacate

harmed by criminalizing cannabis.”

and seal the records of people arrested for possession of

Massachusetts, which opened recreational stores in

less than 2 ounces and all paraphernalia charges—which

November 2018, passed a criminal justice reform bill

could affect 4,000 people arrested since 2008. Just a few

last year that would allow people to get their records ex-

76 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Ingrid Archie, after being imprisoned twice in California, is now the Prop 47 specialist for New Way of Life, helping others get their records expunged or sealed.

punged or sealed. The Massachusetts Rec Council’s Gilmore says it took intense lobbying to get it into the current plan. “It’s restrictive, with no teeth, and it’s not helping the people it should help,” he says. But, he adds, it’s a start.

In 2014, California passed Prop 47, which allows many nonviolent offenses, such as drug and property offenses and shoplifting, to be changed from felonies to misdemeanors. Gov. Jerry Brown last fall signed Assembly Bill 1793, which requires the Department of Justice, before July 2019, to review hundreds of thousands of cannabis cases in the state’s database and identify convictions that should be dismissed, vacated, or reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor. And the city of San Francisco is working with a nonprofit organization that would allow cannabis convictions to be vacated within its jurisdiction.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 77

Simplifying the Process The key to making this work is to simplify the expungement process. Kathleen Bryson, a lawyer in Humboldt Coun-

ed again after a gang friend stashed his cannabis at her place and did a three-year sentence in state prison.

ty, California, says people should seek out clinics at cannabis

After she was released, things didn’t get any easier.

events and public defender offices that offer aid to people.

In 2009, she was laid off by a telecommunications com-

She helps clients and former clients with expungement pro-

pany that had just hired her after it found her record. In

cedures and problems, which vary from county to county.

2013, she was arrested again and served three more years.

“Each county has a different character with different local

While there, she found out about Prop 47. She educated

rules and policies,” she says. “Humboldt County is generally

herself, used the statute to get her sentence reduced, took

known as a more progressive county than any of its neigh-

back custody of her two children, and today works as the

boring counties. In particular, Mendocino and Trinity, the oth-

Prop 47 specialist for New Way of Life, an organization

er two counties in the Emerald Triangle, have vastly different

devoted to helping others break the cycle.

courtroom cultures from Humboldt and from each other.”

Archie uses her story to give others the courage to do

That leads us to Ingrid Archie. She had a troubled child-

what she did. “It kind of helps give people hope because

hood, grew up in foster care in California and fell in with a

the laws were passed to make our community better, but

bad crowd while staying in group homes. At age 18, about

they don’t understand how to do it,” Archie says. “When

the time her first daughter was born, she was arrested

they see the impact that it has on my life, and to know it

for selling drugs and put on probation. She was arrest-

has worked, they want to take advantage of it.”

78 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

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Gypsy Digital

Setting yourself up for the freedom of life on the road is a journey in itself.

by R O BY N G R I G G S L AW R E N C E

82 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

I’m about to hit the road and live in my Airstream. I HAVE A PLAN (THOUGH NOT AS MUCH OF ONE AS I’D LIKE) TO SPEND THE WINTER IN BAJA, THEN I DON’T KNOW WHERE I’LL END UP. I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR MOST OF MY LIFE. I’M PETRIFIED. I’m joining the nearly half-million people in the United

Then Dennis will travel with me through Baja—just in

States who live full-time in their rigs, and I’ll be one of a re-

time to celebrate legal cannabis in Mexico, maybe?—before

cord-breaking 10 million RVers hitting the road as #vanlife

he goes back to Colorado and leaves me on my own. That’s

explodes, driven largely by experience-hungry millennials

where my plan ends, but the whole idea is to be OK with that.

and Instagrammers. The $19.7 billion RV industry has seen

It’s amazing how much planning and organization it’s

sales grow 200 percent over the past eight years, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, and RV shipments are at their highest level ever. Sales at Thor In-

taken to get here.

Freedom Isn’t Free

dustries (which owns Airstream) grew 57 percent to $2.02

The first thing I never considered was what I couldn’t do

billion in 2017, and Winnebago sales skyrocketed 75.1 per-

without a permanent address. I can’t vote, get health insur-

cent in the last quarter of that year to $476.4 billion.

ance, have a bank account, pay taxes, get a driver’s license, or

The industry is changing, responding to the needs and

register my vehicles, to start. And, of course, I can’t get mail.

desires of the new RVer, whose average age is 48—not the

Or I thought I wouldn’t be able to. Then I found professional

stereotypical snowbird traditionally associated with RV-

services that receive, sort, scan, forward, and shred mail like

ers (though plenty of boomers are still on the road). Ac-

Escapees Mail Forwarding from a big clearinghouse in Tex-

cording to CARHUB.COM , about one-third of new RVers are

as that helps people set up mailing addresses in that state.

under 35, and that makes RV resort hot tubs a lot more fun.

There are a lot of these services in Texas and South Dakota,

Before we head to Baja, Dennis and I have a spot reserved

the friendliest states for nomadic travelers to establish resi-

for a month at the Chula Vista RV Resort, a beautiful too-

dency, but I’m not ready for that yet. I’ve lived in Colorado as it

good-to-be-true park on San Diego Bay that shares space

has turned from red to blue, and I like having my vote count.

with a marina (and sailors are also pretty great for hot tub

I’ve already digitized most transactions that used to rely

fun) where I spent last winter. On February 1, everyone has

on snail mail, so my best option is to keep my Colorado

to clear out so the resort and marina can be bulldozed for

address and have any important mail that might trickle

a billion-dollar convention center and waterfront develop-

in forwarded to me wherever I’m staying. Who knew you

ment. A lot of folks have wintered in Chula Vista for de-

could get mail sent to you care of General Delivery to any

cades. It should be a hell of a month.

town and pick it up at the main post office?

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 83

a large dog bowl and dog chain. No one ever messed with her.

Be wary of helpful people. “Generally speaking, people in RV places are fun, friendly, interesting, and very helpful,” Vogel says. But sometimes they can be a little too helpful, and it’s no fun getting frazzled when their directions make no sense to you. Vogel also found that people who tried to help her hook up threw monkey wrenches into her routine because they did things differently. It’s usually best to politely refuse their assistance.

I spent many long nights researching the RV lifestyle online, but nothing beats a real conversation with a real pro, and Jane Vogel is that. Vogel grew up traveling in her parents’ Airstreams; she and her sister took away their trailer when they turned 85 and were accused for 15 more years of stealing their lifestyle. When she retired in 2009, she bought a 26-foot Winnebago Aspect that she named Frieda Rome and spent the next two years wandering. A former president of the Winnie Singles Club, Vogel wrote a cookbook for RVers, Grill It or Skillet. She gave me the advice I couldn’t find online.

Stop driving before you get tired. “When you’re tired, you make mistakes and break stuff,” Vogel says.

Know where you’re ending up each day.

When she stopped for lunch, Vogel would call campgrounds to find her destination for the end of that day. She always asked if the website’s directions were accurate and if there was construction in the area.

Never rely on GPS. Vogel learned that the hard way when she ended up on a flooded gravel road while towing a Jeep. “GPS can really mess you up,” she says.

Wasp spray is a weapon. Vogel chose not to carry a gun. Instead, she kept wasp spray by

the front door to disable potential intruders.

Join a club. Moose and Elk Clubs and American Legions allow members to camp on their grounds, often with water and electric hookups, for as little as $15 a night, and annual memberships are cheap.

Women traveling alone: take precautions.

Vogel bought a Winnebago instead of an Airstream because she didn’t want to have to go outside from her vehicle to the trailer in the dark or when she didn’t feel safe.

She bought the largest pair of men’s boots she could find at a thrift store and put them next to the door along with two chairs, one with a beer can and a Tom Clancy novel, and

Go minimalist in the kitchen. Vogel carried basic spices—the most exotic was lemon pepper—in jars with their names written on the lid in a shoe box. The only electrical appliance she had was the skillet. She used an ice cream scoop as a masher and had a collapsible colander, flexible cutting board, and a chef’s knife with a sharpening sheathe. RVers don’t need place settings for six, she says. “You’re not going to be inviting two other couples over,” she says, “and if you do, it’ll be paper plate night. You’re not really running a house like you’re used to.”

Go minimalist in the closet. “You don’t need six pairs of blue jeans,” Vogel says.

“You only need one hoodie. You’re not seeing the same people every day, so you don’t need different clothes every day.”

Go minimalist in the shower. Thick, fluffy towels take forever to dry and are too heavy for the clotheslines in most RV showers.

Cheap, lightweight towels are more practical when paying for laundromat drying time.

Then there’s health insurance, a hellish mess even

and slow. (Internet connectivity consistently ranks as

when you’re staying in one place. The marketplace options

one of the worst things about full-time RV living.) I had

barely cover me when I’m out of network, which is where

to invest in a Jetpack and an unlimited data plan, and

I plan to spend the year. I made an appointment with Por-

I’ll still be data-starved because “unlimited” data slows

tia at RVERINSURANCE.COM to help me sort out my options.

down after I’ve used 15 gigs. I also had to buy a weBoost

I also learned about an app I wish I’d known about years

cell booster, which adds a bar or two in weak areas and

ago called GoodRx (GOODRX.COM ) that lets me download

could make the difference between a work day and a

coupons for super cheap prescriptions at pharmacies near

non-work day. I have nothing against non-work days,

me—wherever that may be.

but I’d rather plan them than have them forced on me.

And finally, there’s connectivity—that crucial element

It costs a lot, it seems, to be free. I’ve also spent a small

for working on the road that’s notoriously scarce in RV

fortune on gadgets for better Airstream living, every-

resorts, where the “Free Wi-Fi” is always painfully weak

thing from a sewer hose support to refrigerator organiz-

84 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

PHOTO COURTESY OF AIRSTREAM INC.

Jane’s World

A good grill is an RVers best friend. Grill It or Skillet is about “putting good, honest food on the table without using pots and pans,” because she didn’t want to wash mixing bowls and pans in her tiny sink. She made every meal on a portable Weber grill or, in terrible weather, an electric skillet.

She even made eggs on the grill using grill mats and silicon egg rings.

er bins, a laundry backpack, and bag with door hooks

three-outlet desktop charging station is for our sanity as

to a collapsible laundry basket for trash and recycling.

we both try to use all our devices while sharing one outlet.

I bought silicon molds for oversized ice cubes because

The two of us sharing an 8-by-27-foot space for four

they melt more slowly, and they’re great for freezing

months might be the craziest part of my non-plan. We get

stocks and juices—and cocktail hour’s a pretty big thing

along fabulously in his 3,500-square-foot house where I have

at RV resorts.

my own room and an Airstream, and we’ve done well on two-

Dennis was a little alarmed when the big Amazon box

and three-week excursions. We’re not married, and we have

full of these on-the-road necessities arrived, especially be-

our own cell phone plans, so we don’t have much to fight

cause he’s been watching me get rid of the trappings of my

about except closet space and clutter. My Amazon binge was

house life for a good two years. I explained that the non-

a lame attempt to wrest control through retail therapy.

slip glow-in-the-dark tape for the front steps and the mo-

I’ve never been here before, about to embark on a journey to

tion-sensor LED emergency flashlight that will be mount-

an unknown end, and I’ve worked my whole life to get here.

ed by the front door are for our safety and the three-USB,

I can be military-level meticulous and download every app

I’ve worked my whole life to embark on this

journey to an unknown end.

It’s amazing how much planning and organization it’s taken to get this far.

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 85

Apps for RVers

available to help me navigate roads, campgrounds, and relationships, but I can’t control what’s about to happen. The funny part is that I ever thought I could.

Here’s to partying in Chula Vista like it’s 1999.

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of the bestselling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, went to San Diego last winter to write Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Weed, which will be released by Rowman & Littlefield in May. The book would have been out for 4/20 if she’d had a little less fun in the hot tub.

Download these before you hit the road.

AllStays

(iOS only) has extensive filters that help you find campgrounds, RV parks, and related services and check GPS-based weather reports, road conditions, and state laws.

Coverage? lets you quickly find where the best cell coverage is along a route and compare carrier coverage maps.

GasBuddy finds the best gas prices on your route.

Hurdlr helps freelancers keep track of mileage, expenses, income, and tax deductions in real time. (And I didn’t have this one years ago because…?)

inRoute

(iOS only) lets you plan optimal routes based on weather, elevation, road curviness, and other factors. It navigates with voice-guided turn-by-turn directions with automatic severe weather alerts.

the Next EXIT gives a thorough, exit-by-exit service listing, including gas, food, lodging, camping, shopping, and more.

Rand McNally RVND, a standalone RV GPS device, offers navigation and routing, RV tools, points of interest, real-time traffic updates, and predictive traffic videos and photos.

State Lines tracks more than 55 pieces of travel-relevant

information for all 50 states, including cell phone and texting bans, gas and diesel taxes, towing and RV-specific laws, rest area overnight parking limits, and alcohol sales laws and taxes.

WeatherTAB provides forecasts as far as 18 months out.

Windy is for anyone who drives through blustery places like

New Mexico, offering precise hourly forecasts and a wind map.

86 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 87

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90 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

9 WAYS TO LOVE YOURSELF IN 2019 AKA, Things I’ve Learned in Magazines. by S T E P H A N I E

WILSON

IT’S THE TIME OF YEAR FOR RESOLUTIONS, FOR COMMITTING TO BETTER ONESELF. THE MEANS VARY YEAR BY YEAR; THE END GOAL HOLDS STEADY:

improve your life.

When I began working this article, my focus was on

me and cry with me and call me out on my bullshit.

quick fixes to “undo the damage” you inevitably did

They listen to me in a way that makes me feel heard.

during the holidays. A listicle of sorts with tips and

My finances are in order, with a credit score that rang-

tricks to quickly get your body and mind back in some

es from “good” to “excellent” depending on the scoring

semblance of shape before you departed on that beach

agency. That’s a long way from where it was five years

vacation you booked way back when your skin was still

ago when it hovered in the 520 range. I love my work, my

kissed by the summer sun—way before the first pump-

team, my company. I believe in what we are doing, and

kin pie of the season made its way into your grocery cart

the struggle of launching a startup provides a challenge

and found its way onto your thighs.

that keeps me motivated. I’m healthy, relatively fit, and

But then in my deep dive into magazines past, I came

don’t loathe what I see in the mirror.

across a strong notion that made me change course. Rath-

I’m turning 38 at the end of this month. Perhaps my

er than coming up with a list of things you want to change

acceptance with my current state of being is due to age,

about yourself—lose 10 lbs, start a 401K, become a morning

but more likely it’s the result of some conscious deci-

person—this year, consider this instead: Resolve to accept

sions I’ve made to create the life I want to live. It wasn’t

yourself as you are. Unconditional self love is not easy.

an intuitive progression—and it’s all about progression.

Self-criticism is that nagging voice in our heads telling us we’re not good enough, that we don’t deserve hap-

It was the result of endless hours spent reading magazines, the original self-help works.

piness until we change, until we drop that weight or get

In The Magazine from Cover to Cover, the authors write

out of debt or learn how to bake an Insta-worthy cake.

in the preface that “since the mid-1700s, the magazine has

Until we’re better than we are now.

played a role in shaping what individuals think and how

But here’s the catch: it’s those feelings of inadequacy

they respond to the world around them. Magazines help

that hold you back from taking the steps to make a change.

us understand ourselves, live more fully, and vicariously

When you perceive your thighs as too large, you are saying

enjoy different lifestyles. The result: we are what we read.”

that you are flawed. A loser. And losers have thighs that are

Later, in a chapter about magazines as cultural influ-

too large. So it’s not even worth trying to change. You are

ences, they write: “Magazines help us choose our kitch-

a loser with big thighs: that’s the narrative in your brain.

en colors and Christmas trees, raise our children and our

But if you love yourself unconditionally, you still love yourself as you struggle to change.

This made me take stock of my life. Which is pretty

standards, save our marriages and our money. Open the pages of a magazine and it opens the world to us. It helps us build our foundation and our beliefs.”

great overall. I love where I live; my apartment is a true

I subscribe to 20-something magazines—the number

reflection of me. I’ve found a group of amazing friends

varies as one subscription ends and another begins—

who are each inspiring badasses in their own right. They

and I make it a point to at least flip through the pages

make me laugh, they push me to do better, they support

of each one every month, reading parts here and there, sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 91

92 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

others I devour from cover to cover. 5280, Health, Cosmo-

first outpost opened in Colorado. When I book a bike, I’m

politan, Better Homes & Gardens, Wired, Esquire, GQ, Elle,

financially committed; if I don’t show up, I’m charged any-

Marie Claire, New York, Shape, Bon Appétit, Harper’s Ba-

way. That’s that extra piece of motivation that gets my ass

zaar, Condé Nast Traveler, Sunset, O, Men’s Health, Vani-

in the seat (and then out of the saddle, tap tap tapping it

ty Fair, InStyle, En Compass, and more: these periodicals

back) multiple times a week. It works for me.

shape my perception of the world, and I keep a notebook

If you haven’t discovered a workout that works for you,

next to me when I flip through them, noting interesting

embark on a journey of discovery. ClassPass is a great

facts or story ideas for Sensi that a piece sparks.

way to sample a variety of top studios around town.

Along the way, I’ve garnered some expert advice that I’ve applied to my own life. And since I know that most people don’t have the time, never mind the desire, to read two dozen or so mags each month, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best tips instilled in my brain from countless articles on the subject of how to become a “new you.”

Barre, yoga, bootcamp, boxing, Pilates, and—yes!—cycling studios are all on the lineup.

Create a space you love.

I was flipping through a Better Homes & Gardens issue last spring sitting in my living room and came to a page that was almost a mirror of the scene in front of me. The

Find a workout that works for you.

bohemian vintage-style multicolored rug, the blue velvet

It all comes down to discovering what motivates you

couch, the geometric throw pillows—even the pink wall

to show up and put in the effort. For me, it’s part finan-

behind the scene was the same. Ok, the magazine version

cial accountability, part group motivation, part awesome

had painted the wall pink whereas my pink was contained

playlist, and part anonymity. I’m an indoor cycle junkie,

in the oversized painting hung on the wall of my rental.

have been since the first cycling class I took a decade

It was a validating moment: I moved into the apartment

ago at the then newly opened David Barton Gym across

last November without anything other than a mattress and

the street from my apartment in South Beach. David Bar-

some bookshelves from Ikea. In six short months, I had cre-

ton’s slogan and my goals aligned: Look Better Naked.

ated a magazine-worthy space with pieces culled largely

Before that class, I had

from Amazon Prime. (I drive a

struggled to find the motiva-

Fiat so delivery is the only op-

tion to workout. I had played team sports my entire childhood, but found myself bored by the Stairmaster at the gym.

And

forget

running—that’s

what you do when you’re being punished for missing your foul shots or showing up late to practice. I’ve tried to become a runner repeatedly as an adult—it’s free! you can do it anywhere! it’s free!—but I’ve got a mental block that has

“All the changes you want to make in your life—your relationships, your work, your self— it all starts right here.

Here, you get stronger.”

—CycleStar Thomas

tion for anything larger than an 8x10 frame.) I did it on a budget, using advice and tips culled from the pages of decor magazines and websites.

It’s my version of Apartment Therapy, an online magazine where I turn to for inspiration, tips, and advice about how to make the most of my small home. (They also keep an eye out for great sales.) The site turned me onto the gallery

yet to permit me to run more

wall trend a few years back,

than a mile consecutively.

and I took it to the extreme:

On a bike, in a dark room,

there’s not much blank white

led by a perky instructor yell-

wall left in my place. Just how

ing at me to love myself, I can

I like it. I look around here and

go all out for the duration of

I am content. I want to spend

the class and then on a good

time here. It’s soothing, it’s

day stay for a second helping.

comforting, it’s aggressively

I got into Flywheel in Mi-

female and totally me. And

ami, and then jumped on

there’s no place like home

the CycleBar bikes when the

when you love your home. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 93

Journal and Read.

Writing out your thoughts helps you discover what you’re really thinking. It helps you get to the “why” behind your reactions to situations. Most likely, your actions are based on something that happened in the past. But if you don’t take the time to explore your actions, you’ll never know that and then you’re doomed to repeat it.

As far as reading, I mean everything: books, magazines, newspapers, flyers; read a variety of genres and topics and authors. You’ll learn, you’ll clear your head, you’ll increase your attention span. And if you’re reading a self-help book—don’t knock it until you try it—you’ll better yourself.

I recommend You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubt-

ing Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life

by Jen Sincero. The audiobook has won some Audible awards, and it’s a pleasant message to listen to during any road trips. Or while stuck in traffic. Or while you’re cleaning your apartment. Because the message that you are a badass is never a bad one to hear.

If you’re unlikely to make the financial commitment to a self-help title, don’t fret! A local magazine turned me

Get growing.

onto Libby last year. It’s an app for the library that lets you borrow ebooks and audiobooks with just the click

Houseplants are good for you. And it’s rewarding to

of a button. Check out the “Too Hot to Hold” section for

watch a living thing thrive under your care. I have three

titles available right now—no lines, no waiting. That’s

types of palm trees growing in my southern-facing, light-

where I found the Badass book, which I listened to while

filled space. If you do a Google image search for “paradise,”

driving down to Pueblo for a Sensi Night late last year.

guess what comes up? Palm trees. My palms are a reminder that paradise is within reach.

Along with the palms, I’ve got a collection of other thriving houseplants around the place. I live right off the highway, and the plants help naturally purify the air. They also raise humidity in the home.

Get a handle on your finances.

Financial security is paramount to creating a life you love. For more tips on how to achieve it, check out the Buzz on p. 18.

One tip that you won’t find in that list: Don’t fear credit cards. I made this mistake for most of my life and it pains me to think of all the rewards I missed out on by relying only on my debit card. If you’re an Amazon Prime member and you don’t have an Amazon Prime Visa from Chase, you’re leaving 5 percent of all your prime purchases on the table. Whole Foods purchases too. I bought my entire apartment from Prime, and I used the card to pay for everything I could. In 2018, that earned me close to $500 cash back, part of which I turned into a Roomba that takes care of one of the chores I loathed.

94 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

Stay hydrated.

Get a humidifier. The humidity in the air is low enough in Colorado year round. Combine that with the cold air of winter and the indoor heat—which zaps what little moisture we have in the air right out—and we’re destined to have some chapped lips and flaky skin, this time of year especially.

There are a few ways to combat that, and while the specific recommendations change from year to year on the pages of the national glossies, the basic message is the same: drinks lots of water, get a humidifier, and slather on some products.

Let’s start with the internal hydration. If you, like the old me, have a hankering for the lightly flavored bubbles of La Croix, it’s time to invest in a Soda Stream. Not only will you be saving the environment one dozen less aluminum cans in your recycling bin at a time, you’ll be saving your wallet, too. Sparkling beverages add up. One Soda Stream cartridge can make your basic tap water effervescent.

Squeeze in some fresh lemon or other citrus for a burst of calorie-free flavor and drink up. Your body will thank you.

Get a humidifier and keep it filled—and keep it clean.

(Mold is a pesky problem no matter the dry conditions.)

I wasn’t a fan of the blue-bubble-shaped design so many popular humidifiers are sporting these days, in no small part because it is conspicuous, it doesn’t blend into the design of my home, and I’d need to also purchase a table or stool to give it a place to live.

Then Amazon suggested the VAVA’s ultrasonic floor humidifier, which has a sleek design and long nozzle that helps get the moisture into the air in an efficient, aesthetically pleasing manner. On the low setting, it will run for almost an entire day, which makes me more likely to keep it filled than if it required more constant attention from me to keep spouting water vapor into the air.

Last month, Shape magazine passed along this tip that has made a world of difference in my skin: to double the impact of your humidifier, place it in your bedroom.

Before sliding beneath the covers, slather some moisturizer with hyaluronic acid onto your face and neck and let it do the work while you sleep. Despite its harsh-sounding name, this particular acid is a bit of a wet dream. It can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, pulling it directly from the air and into your skin. I’ve started using Water Drench by Peter Thomas Roth and have had nary a flaky patch of skin since.

Bonus tip: In January, all of the gift boxes that didn’t sell are on clearance at places like Sephora, so you can score quite a deal on some of the top hyaluronic-packed moisturizers. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 95

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Pamper yourself.

CBD massages. Bath bombs. Fine wines. New pair of fuzzy Uggs. Treat yourself like the amazing human you are in whatever manner fits into that budget you created for yourself. Because you deserve it. Believe it.

My personal anecdote for this section comes in the form of a magnificent trip to Avon, where Spa Anjali hosted me for its coveted CBD massage, featuring products by Mary’s Nutritionals. My pup Gidget and my boyfriend came with me for the overnight excursion to the Westin at the base of Beaver Creek, and we indulged ourselves in the Heavenly

done, without causing me any pain (or any of the telltale

experience. Gidget especially so: I positioned her Heaven-

bruising that accompanied some of my previous trigger

ly Dog Bed in front of the fireplace in our mini suite and

point therapy treatments). Speaking with him afterward,

she barely moved an inch for the duration of our stay.

I asked how the CBD oils affected the treatment on his

The highlight of the trip was, of course, the spa treatment

end, and he raved about the experience.

at the on-site facility, which the readers of Condé Nast Trav-

“I get all of the benefits as well,” he shared. “It allows

eler ranked among the nation’s best. My treatment was the

my hands to stay stronger, longer, and I feel rejuvenated

first one in the morning, so I had the locker room to myself

after the experience. I encourage people to add it on to

upon arrival. To limber up my cold muscles and get ready,

their massages.”

I hit the steam room for some light stretching before meeting the massage therapist.

The 50-minute massage is pricey: $180, compared with $150 for the basic massage. But you do get to keep the left-

The treatment was by far the most productively enjoy-

over CBD balm at the end of your treatment, which alone is

able massage I’ve experienced since moving to Colorado.

worth the price. Mary’s is among the best in the industry.

The knots in my back often connect to the knots in my forearms and hands—injuries of the writing trade—caus-

Create connections with others.

ing my fingers to go numb and tingle when things get ex-

Loneliness is literally deadly, and stems from a lack of so-

treme. While I dig a thorough deep-tissue treatment, the

cial connection with others. I had trouble connecting with

level of work my shoulders need tends to be rather painful.

other women for most of my adult life because I was scared

This was the opposite of painful. The pre-treatment

to let my guard down, to reveal my flaws and my fears. I suf-

warmup steam and stretch, combined with the thera-

fer from rampant perfectionism that leads to isolation if I

peutic benefits of the Mary’s Nutritionals CBD allowed

don’t make a continual effort. Admitting my crazy has been

the therapist to go deeper than he otherwise would have

one of the most beneficial moves I’ve ever made.

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on my headphones, opened Spotify’s Discovery suggestions, and hit play. King and Country sang directly to me: To every soul locked in a cage, In the prison of your past mistakes, There is no time left to waste.

You’ve got to make your great escape.

We’re made to run wild.

Run wild.

Last summer, when I hit the wall at the end of a burnout cycle stemming from launching the magazine in your hand, I ran away to the woods to get a handle on myself. When I got to the teepee I booked, I pushed play on the first playlist Spotify recommended that day. And on came Birdtalkers: If you’re lost and you’re lonely, Go and figure out why.

Take a trip to your dark side, Go ahead and have a good cry.

Cause we’re all lonely, we’re all lonely, together.

Leave what’s heavy behind.

And so I did. I spent the next four days crying and writing and digging down to the source of my unhappiness, and had some profound realizations that ultimately led me to leave what was heavy behind.

It may sound like woo-woo craziness—and it did lead me to bring some woo-woo activities into my life (sage burning, anyone?)—but it’s profound where you can find yourself if you’re just open to watching for the signs of the universe. Call it intuition, to following your gut, to looking for a sign, or divine intervention: be open to it, follow the path before you, and live your best life.

Listen to what the universe is telling you.

It speaks to me in song, and it has my whole life. If I

If you don’t know what that means for you exactly, pick up some magazines. They’ll help guide you on your way.

wasn’t open to the messages, I would have missed them.

When I was sixteen, my parents bought me a new Volkswagon Beetle, and I turned it on to pull out of the lot the first time and Madonna’s “Ray of Light” was playing.

“She’s got herself a little piece of heaven,” I sang along.

When I bought an Audi I couldn’t afford in my late 20s, the first song to play when I put the key in the ignition was Rihanna and T.I.’s hit “Live Your Life.” And damnit I was going to be a shining star with fancy clothes and fancy cars.

A few years later, I was debating whether I wanted to stay in Miami after my company eliminated my position or if it was time to move on. I went down to my pool to ponder, put sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 99

100 JANUARY 2019 Denver // Boulder

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1906 NEW HIGHS

Creating Edibles to Optimize Your Life 1906 CRACKS THE CODE ON WHAT CONSUMERS REALLY WANT.

Most cannabis consumers will tell you the edibles

Barsoom started 1906 as a cannabis product re-

being sold out there need a little tweaking—or even a

search and development company in 2015, eventually

major overhaul.

rolling out its first edibles brand in 2017. The compa-

A few brands provide reliable edible experiences, but the general consensus is that many miss the mark

ny’s infused oils come from specific strains grown at certified green farms in Colorado.

when it comes to consumer expectations. Peter Bar-

The company currently offers a full line of artisanal

soom, CEO of Denver-based 1906 New Highs and a

chocolates and is working on launching a line of pills,

former Wall Street financier, saw the writing on the

infused beverages, and Pax pod vapes.

wall. “We immediately found that there was lot to be desired when it comes to edibles,” he says.

Most edibles suffer from three major problems, he says. First, they taste bad. Second, they leave consum-

1906 edibles are made using a lipid encapsulation process to help the body process THC faster. They are low-dose and fast-acting—with onset at 20 minutes or less—so consumers know what to expect.

ers wondering how they’ll feel, which is problematic

The company has a research and development team

because most people use cannabis for therapeutic

of six, including experts in botany, technology, biosci-

reasons. And third, edibles have a very slow and un-

ence, confections, and more, and 20 employees work-

certain onset time, which is a problem that has been

ing inside a 6,500-square-foot state-of-the-art food

dogging edibles manufacturers for years.

manufacturing facility and lab doing industrial-scale

“We set out to solve these problems and come up with solutions that truly work for people,” Barsoom

manufacturing, where 20,000 pieces of chocolate are produced a day.

says. “Consumers want products that are predictable

Barsoom says 1906 wants to expand in Colorado

and consistent, work quickly, and deliver the experi-

and is getting ready to open operations in Massachu-

ences they want—from energy to relaxation to arousal

setts and Illinois. He has also applied for a license in

to sleep to bliss.”

New Jersey.

He says if cannabis is going to be a replacement

1906 has its sights on international markets as

for alcohol or pharmaceuticals, it needs to perform

well, but the burgeoning Canadian market is not edi-

the way those substances perform. “What we wanted

bles-friendly right now. “We are excited about the Ca-

to do was to create an edibles company focused on

nadian market, but we still don’t know what the rules

high-functioning adults who need to know what they

are around edibles,” Barsoom says.

are getting and how it will affect them,” Barsoom says.

Whatever the future holds, 1906 is confident that

1906 combines cannabis with other plant medi-

giving consumers what they truly want and need is the

cines to work synergistically and target specific effects

first step in revolutionizing not just the edibles market,

with their various products: Midnight for sleep; High

but destigmatizing cannabis for a global future.

Love for sex; Chill for relaxation, Go for energy, and Bliss for bliss. 1906 products are sold at more than 200 dispensaries in Colorado.

For more information, visit:

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NATURE’S ROOT

It’s All Natural ONE LONGMONT SPA TAKES THE HEMP ROUTE TO GOOD HEALTH.

Dani Fontaine never really intended to launch a

New on the shelf are a line of easy-to-use salves

company selling therapeutic and body-care products

containing CBD and aromatherapeutic botanicals in

made from Colorado-grown hemp or to become a na-

a balm stick rubbed on the afflicted part of the body.

tional spokesperson, but a driving passion for a hum-

The roster includes Extreme Sore Muscle Balm 200,

ble plant inspired her.

Itch Balm 200, and Brain Balm 200. Coming soon is

“I believe in the greatness of hemp as a solution to

an anti-inflammatory spray to relieve tooth and gum

so many problems. It’s good for the farmers, it’s good

pain. The company is looking into future Nature’s Root

for the soil, and it’s a sustainable crop,” Fontaine says.

spas on the island of Jamaica and other locations, in-

She

started

the

Colorado

Hemp

Project

cluding Hawaii. “We want to see hemp planted sus-

(COLORADOHEMPPROJECT.COM ) in 2013 with her father

tainably everywhere and used for everything from

to promote that crop. “We had the hemp seed, and

food and medicines to building materials and textiles.

we started to find farmers who would grow it. They

We have to stop killing our planet,” Fontaine says.

planted some of the first hemp harvested in the US in almost 60 years. Then we had to find a use for all that hemp. I asked myself: ‘What do people use every day?’

So we started making hemp body-care products,”

For more information, visit:

NATURESROOT.COM

she explains.

Fontaine had earned her certification in massage therapy and esthetics in 2011 with a plan to open Nature’s Root Spa in Longmont with her mom and partner, Tracee Box. Today, the spa menu includes massages, facials, waxing, and other services for rejuvenation and whole body healing. “Every single product that we use contains hemp,” Fontaine says.

Nature’s Root products are sold at the Longmont locale as well as at other spas and beauty and natural foods stores across the US. The lineup features oils, skin lotion, tinctures, lotions, and scrubs for men and women, including Max Sore Muscle Salve, Hemp Coffee Scrub, and Hemp Oil Tinctures. A range of products for pets includes Fur-Get About It Wound & Skin Care Oil. Vital Hemp Oil Supplements in capsule form are available for people and pets.

Fontaine credits her mom with much of the success of the company. “She has done amazing things helping to grow the business while I’ve been developing new products,” she says. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 107

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REVERED

An “Aha” Moment That Resulted in a New Product REVERED INC.’S MALE ENHANCEMENT POWDER WITH THC DISTILLATE OFFERS A ONE-OF-A-KIND BUZZ.

After seeing how competitive it was to do a culti-

says. “I didn’t see that with the Aeroinhaler because

vation operation in what was clearly a growth indus-

that product took a bit of time to move. There is quite

try, Ted Naylon, CEO of Revered Inc., who was already

a bit of education involved. And it’s a bit of a high-

selling all-natural male-enhancement supplement

er-end product. CannaMojo sells for 10 bucks, and

HardMojo online, refocused on working with cannabis

people really want to have better sex.”

concentrates—specifically, using extraction techniques

He says the company has been fielding a lot of calls

to create live resin products. “We are growing plants

and emails about licensing CannaMojo in California,

specifically to make fresh frozen cannabis and extract-

Oregon, Florida, and Nevada. “I think it’s going to be

ing the oils from the fresh frozen and turning it into a

big in Nevada. I think the casinos will want to sell it

concentrate that is super potent,” he says.

in their hotel rooms.” Revered is also working on CBD

Revered built a lab in 2015 and began selling Quest

versions of the product.

Concentrates, part of a higher-end concentrate line

“The big thing for us right now is focusing on our

that included live budders, sugars, crystals, and sauce.

licensing deals,” Naylon says. “We are looking at trying

About a year later, the company began looking for

to get in as many states as we can, as well as Canada.”

unique products to make and decided on a pharma-

Canada’s stricter approval process has proven more

ceutical-grade adult recreational device called the

difficult for the inhaler and the CannaMojo product.

Aeroinhaler. “We formulated a way to make THC shoot

The male-enhancement powder is a supplement, re-

out of the inhaler over 100 times, getting about 6 mil-

quiring different regulations in Canada then in the

ligrams of THC per spray in a metered dose spray,”

United States.

Naylon says. “That way, the consumer is getting a con-

Revered already has licensing deals in California, Ne-

sistent dose of THC, and the effects are felt within

vada, Oregon, and Puerto Rico. Deals in Michigan and

seconds or minutes because it’s getting metabolized

Jamaica are expected to close soon. “We don’t plan on

through the lungs.”

selling a lot of our products in Jamaica, but Jamaica

That product is available in about 100 dispensaries in Colorado, he says, with more added each month.

In March, he was talking with his marketing director

allows exports,” Naylon says. “So we would be able to create our products there and export them to other countries.”

about other products when the idea hit him—why not combine the distillate used in the Aeroinhaler with his male-enhancement supplement powder? Experiments began with a 10-milligram distillate and powder combination, and the response was overwhelm-

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ingly positive.

Revered started selling that new product, dubbed CannaMojo, in mid-August. “The stores that we are in are reordering and are starting to reorder faster,” he sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 111

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New Personnel Department SPECIALIZING IN TAKING CARE OF INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES AND OWNERS. Once upon a time, caring companies had something called a “Personnel Department.”

It’s not today’s “Human Resources,” which tends to focus more on numbers and dollars.

Personnel was there to help people, the prized employees, and make sure that the tons of paperwork got completed properly. It solved potential headaches for company managers and owners before they happen.

For many cannabis- and hemp-related businesses in Colorado and across the United States, Witlon is how they spell relief today. The administrative services firm provides payroll, accounting and banking solutions in a cash-based industry.

“Witlon is a holistic service provider that helps businesses grow strategically. We get to know the customers. We are paid by the client, but our customers are the employees. We make sure they have W-2s and arrange direct deposit, worker’s comp, health care sign-up, compliance with federal and state laws and 401k’s,” says Nick Murer, president of Denver-based Witlon.

The company has proper documentation in place on worker’s comp and any employee issues, warnings and unemployment claims, he says.

These businesses include dispensaries, cultivation facilities, marketing companies, equipment suppliers, and other cannabis- and hemp-related ancillary companies. “We help a lot of companies in the startup phase that don’t have the bandwidth or interest in dealing with payroll, accounting, and liability insurance,” he says.

Using Witlon typically saves companies money because they have so much invested in fi nding and keeping employees. “A good example is a dispensary worker who makes $15 an hour. I tell owners that they really have to think about that as a $21 an hour job when all the costs are factored in,” Murer says.

There is also the peace-of-mind factor. If there is an audit from a government agency including the IRS, Witlon represents the client.

A well-established concern in Colorado, Witlon functions as the back offi ce for large and small businesses across the United States and Canada. “We are where there are medical and recreational cannabis sales, including Washington and Pennsylvania,” he says.

The other side of Witlon’s business involves working and investing in Colorado’s nascent hemp industry with its unique legal challenges. “We want to put legitimacy behind hemp sales and help to connect growers with processors and other users,” Murer says.

“The cannabis industry is really still in its infancy with tremendous growth potential. The growth potential is even bigger in hemp and CBD. Farmers need to be convinced that hemp is a legal cash crop that helps rejuvenate the soil,” he says.

“Colorado is a real leader in figuring out these challenges,” Murer says.

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It’s now 2019, and with the start of a New Year, comes the time for New Year’s Resolutions. At the beginning of

As the cannabis industry grows, so does the number of professionals within it, acting as incredible sources of insider info on the trends and issues driving the marketplace forward. The Sensi Advisory Board is comprised of select industry leaders in a variety of fields, from compliance and education to concentrates and cultivation. They are invited to share specialized insight in this dedicated section. This month, we hear from members in the Sports Nutrition and Topicals categories.

FOR A FULL LIST OF ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, SEE THE MASTHEAD ON PAGE 16.

every year all around the world, people make resolutions with the idea to improve their life.

We say, “It’s a New Year, and it’s time for a new me.”

We commit to start doing this, to stop doing that, and to do even more of something else. The sad truth of the situation, however, is that the majority of our New Year’s resolutions won’t last through January.

Ask yourself why we do this. Why do we continue to leverage the New Year as a time to motivate us to change something in our lives when we rarely keep those commitments?

It comes down to our perception and expectations.

When we are motivated by external factors rather than

RESOLVE TO KEEP TRYING

by W I L L C A R R , F O U N D E R O F W I L L P O W E R

a sincere fire and drive within us, permanent and real change isn’t likely. We must also understand that progress takes time. We live in a culture where we expect everything now.

In a world where we have to do nothing more than give a simple voice command to Amazon’s Alexa to have virtually anything delivered to our front door, patience is becoming more of a lost art every day. We start a new diet with the expectation to look in the mirror and notice a difference immediately. We start a new exercise routine with the idea that we’re magically going to be healthier on day one.

In reality, it takes time and consistency and realistic goals based on your lifestyle. If it’s realistic for you to commit to exercise once a week, then make that your goal. Set attainable expectations for yourself. Then go out and crush that workout. Dominate your goal. Achieve what you set out to do, and then look for what is attainable next. When the little goals you accomplish are strung together over the years, they can move mountains.

True change comes when something inside us shifts.

When our perception pivots and widens, we see things we were previously blind to. We become aware of our why. Was our motivation to live healthier due to insecurities we have about our outward appearance? Or was it because we genuinely desire our mind and body to feel better and function at a higher level?

New Year’s resolutions are a wonderful thing. They allow for us to take time to look inward and reflect on what is important to us. They enable us to give thought and consideration to what changes we need to make and why we need to make them. Whatever your New Year’s resolutions may be for 2019, make sure they are coming from a place of authenticity and a genuine sense of who you are—and where you want to go from here. sensimag.com JANUARY 2019 119

ACHIEVING HOLISTIC HARMONY:

The Cannabis and Yoga Connection

by D A H L I A M E R T E N S , C E O O F M A RY J A N E ’ S MEDICINALS

Yoga is one of the best ways I know to center myself, bringing together my body and mind in harmony. And I have found that pairing cannabis with my practice deeply enhances the experience on many levels.

Research shows cannabis may be effective for helping to reduce effects of stress; the same goes for yoga.

One such study, published in Seminars in Immunology in 2014, found that chronic stress reduces the brain’s production of endocannabinoids that regulate emotions, which suggests that using cannabis to boost endocannabinoid system function may help stabilize moods.

In a similar vein, a 2011 research review conducted by the University of Mississippi’s Center for Health Behavior Research found yogic practices help inhibit the posterior, or sympathetic, area of the hypothalamus, thus restoring “autonomic regulatory reflex mechanisms associated with stress.” In other words, meditative yoga helps inhibit

ment meditation, and cannabis takes you right there. It

the areas of the brain responsible for producing feelings

cracks open the spiritual door.”

of fear, aggressiveness, and rage, while stimulating the brain’s rewarding pleasure sensors, thus lowering anxiety, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure.

Yogi D and others who are working cannabis into their practice are indeed following an ancient tradition.

Cannabis has been used as a spiritual and meditative

Given the overlapping therapeutic and wellness ben-

aid for thousands of years in India, where it’s closely tied

efits of cannabis and yoga, it’s not surprising that can-

to yoga. It is believed that Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of

nabis is increasingly popular among yoga practitioners.

creation, destruction, and yoga, was rejuvenated after

People like Darrin Zeer, or “Yogi D” as he’s known to

consuming cannabis. This religious connection may be

many, offer cannabis-friendly yoga retreats. For more

the reason cannabis remains a fundamental element of

than two decades, he has combined cannabis with yoga

yogic practice among certain groups in India.

to further promote tranquility and well-being, and calls them “the two ancient sister medicines.”

In today’s fast-paced world, most of us juggle so many things on a daily basis that we’re in a constant state of ten-

“They really go hand-in-hand. With the assistance

sion. We frequently hold our bodies so tight with anxiety

of cannabis, the body knows how to unwind itself. It’s

and stress that it’s difficult to unwind and settle into a re-

a beautiful practice,” Yogi D told me recently. “Cannabis

storative yoga practice. That’s why cannabis is so useful in

helps us remember what yoga is all about. It’s a move-

helping to ease us into a calm and focused mindful state.

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As with any new experience, it’s best to take it slow at first, pacing your consumption so you can be sure to remain aware of your body’s movement and your breathing. And different people may find they prefer different types of cannabis to enhance their practice. Some enjoy smoking or vaping cannabis just before they practice yoga. Some might pop an edible ahead of their session.

Some prefer to utilize non-intoxicating infused topical salves and lotions to reduce physical pain and increase relaxation before their practice. And others like to combine these options.

It all comes down to what makes you feel good, and what helps elevate your practice of yoga.

For me, cannabis helps quiet my thoughts, allowing me to reach a deeper meditative state. When the mental noise fades away, I find I can focus intently on the harmony between my mind, body and spirit.

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SENSI LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

If you were one of the nearly 30,000 attendees at this year’s fantastic MJBizCon trade conference in Las Vegas, you probably saw us there. We had our leadership conference there. You may have even hung out with us there. Some of you definitely partied with us there.

In any case, it was definitely a “you had to be there” week, and if you weren’t there, call this the next best thing.

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{HereWeGo }

by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

JUST GO , MAN!

Feeling flush? Check out this extravagant package from Denver’s Curtis Hotel.

If your 2019 goals are to live the highest life, then this

cluding the new Marvel Suite on the Superhero floor—has

fresh travel package from the Curtis Hotel should be the

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top of your Valentine’s Day wish list and totally redeem

the Curtis Package, which puts the “aspire” in the aspira-

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tionary income on in 2018.

It’s pricey, to say the least: $10k, in fact. Dumb money.

The Curtis—a property dedicated to celebrating all

What does that get you? An over-the-top weekend get-

things pop culture, with colorful hyper-themed rooms, in-

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King Deluxe room. Which typically runs for less than $200

Luxury transportation to the jet and to the mountain on

a night during a weekend in January. So what’s the other

either side of the short airborne jaunt. Your limo driver

$9,600 or so get you?

may or may not ask you why you’re going to the airport.

Two ruffled tuxedos with top hats—in that signature

“Flyin’ somewhere?” On the flight home, libations from

orange and powder blue—which you must don as you ride

Aspen Beer Co. are yours to enjoy. Once you’re back, head

your rental moped around Denver for three hours. It’s up

to the Corner Office to hang by the bar, put out a vibe.

to you whether you want to wear the infamous look while

If you’re interested in booking this getaway, good for

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to hit the slopes in your new Colorado-made Icelantic skis.

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