Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (June 2019)

DENVER / BOULDER

THE NEW NORMAL

THE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY provides a needed refuge for all manner of exotic creatures held captive far from their disappearing natural habitats.

6.2019

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ISSUE 6 //VOLUME 4 //6.2019

FEATURES 50 Go Green

Be eco-friendly.

SP EC IAL R EP OR T

76 Greener Green

The cannabis industry needs to live up to its sustainability potential.

84 A Walk on the Wild Side

The Wild Animal Sanctuary saves lives far beyond the Rocky Mountain Range.

102 Hotcasting

Podcasting is finally having its moment.

110 So Boulderado

The landmark hotel has played a role in the city’s history for more than 110 years.

TO THE RESCUE Put “Visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary” on your summer to-do list.

84

every issue 15 Editor’s Note 19 The Buzz 26 NewsFeed

HIGHLY MOTIVATED

34 StarPowered

JUNE HOROSCOPE

38 LifeStyle

THE CANNABIS LIFE CYCLE

42 TasteBuds

SPAGHETTI A LA WESTERN

58 AroundTown

ROOM TO GROW

66 TravelWell

TEN ARIZONA EXPERIENCES

136 HereWeGo

OFF THE MAP

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

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sensi magazine ISSUE 6 / VOLUME 4 / 6.2019

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, Nora Mounce CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

sensimagazine

David Duran, A.J. Herrington CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ricardo Baca, Natha Campanella COLUMNISTS

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

Rheya Tanner, Wendy Mak, Josh Clark em@sensimag.com DESIGN & LAYOUT

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

Ilee Desoto ilee.desoto@sensimag.com 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

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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 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

NATURAL

STATE

editor’s

NOTE

When Sensi’s senior editor approached me

with a pitch for a story about a wild animal sanctuary in Colorado that rescued tigers and other exotic animals from around the world, his passion for the subject was palpable. Leland is more than your typical animal lover. He lives in Boulder, where he’s not a pet owner, he’s a pet guardian, because “you can’t own another living being,” he says. Over the past few years, he’s told me stories of adventures he and his partner have been on around the globe: tracking wolves in Yellowstone, living with grizzly bears in Alaska, feeding orphaned baby elephants in Africa. So green lighting his story for our annual green-themed issue was a quick and easy decision. I expected an interesting read. What he wrote is a masterpiece.

The story is by far the longest read we’ve ever published in Sensi, and the topic warrants it. One thing I learned while making this issue is that there are fewer tigers living in the wild than there are held captive in the US alone. Possibly in Texas alone. Many of those animals—and other exotics like them—have never seen life outside a cage…until Boulder native Pat Craig’s organization rescued them and brought them to Colorado to live out their lives freed from captivity. I haven’t had a chance to visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary yet, but it’s now on the top of my to-do list this summer. Once you read the piece, it’s likely going to be on yours as well.

Elsewhere in the issue, you’ll find eco-friendly topics alongside suggestions to help you make the most of the coming season.

It is coming, right? As I write this, it’s just a month away, according to the calendar. According to the snow that’s melting outside my window, we’re still waiting on spring. But for as snowy a season we’ve had this year, the snowfall totals along the Front Range were still below average. Global warming is a crisis that is already affecting our lives in tangible ways, and it’s up to each of us to be a steward for the environment, making small adjustments to unsustainable habits, like saying ‘no thanks’ to receipts and taking our cars to a car wash instead of wasting all that water at home. You’ll find more tips for eco-friendly choices throughout this month’s edition. All of our micro actions can lead to macro change. Let’s make something happen.

Stephanie Wilson ED I TOR I N CHI EF SENSI MAGAZINE

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Cause for Celebration The 2019 Denver PrideFest pays tribute to the past.

Fifty years ago this month, the police stormed the Stonewall Inn gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village and began arresting patrons for what amounted to them daring to be gay in public. That raid sparked a riot—that ignited a revolution. The Stonewall riots are considered a catalyst for the LGBTQ civil rights movement that changed the world.

Five decades later, LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated every June in cities around the globe in honor of the Stonewall milestone. Here in Denver, the first gay pride event took place in 1975, growing in size and spirit ever since. Today, the Mile High hosts one of the country’s top 10 pride events.

Denver Pride Parade on Sunday, and a festival at Civic

This year, the two-day Denver PrideFest washes over

Center Park all weekend long, PrideFest is “fun for every-

the city on June 14 and 15, flooding the streets with rain-

one”—on many levels, at multiple events, on three main

bows and revelry and people—a quarter million of them,

stages, and everywhere in between.

in fact. With a 5K walk/run on Saturday, the Coors Light

Participate. June 15–16, Civic Center Park DENVERPRIDE.ORG

–Stephanie Wilson

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Getting to know A woman’s guide to cannabis.

American families are finally talking about marijuana at the dinner table, but it’s hardly what Richard

good with the support of cannabis (formerly known as “medical marijuana”).

Nixon had in mind. As a country with the worst health

A bookworm turned independent book store owner,

care among high-income nations and an opioid cri-

Furrer’s mental and physical health was suffering as she

sis breaking hearts in every state, the potential for im-

struggled to make ends meet. After sadly closing shop,

provement is vast. Doubling down on systemic woes,

Furrer found herself drawn west by big mountains and

even the average “healthy” American is increasingly

open minds, starting over behind the counter at a dis-

overworked and exhausted, turning to screens and

pensary in Denver. Daily, she meets with a colorful cast

pills for a moment’s relief.

of characters—including the oft-played tropes of soccer

This is the melancholic landscape painted by lawyer,

moms and grandmas—asking the how and what of

former bookstore owner, and cannabis advocate Nikki

weed. Furrer quickly realizes she was missing her go-to

Furrer in her 2018 release from Workman Publishing,

move, a solid recommendation for the right book.

A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis. Amid this grim snap-

So, voila, Furrer wrote her own comprehensive can-

shot, Furrer, a Midwesterner who now calls Colorado

nabis guide, customized for the everyday Jane. A Wom-

home, writes that cannabis offers untapped potential

an’s Guide to Cannabis covers everything a woman—or

for the radical act of feeling well and good. Not dis-

man or non-binary individual—might wonder about

criminating between pain from chronic diseases and

weed. “Men are more than welcome to read this book,

everyday stress, Furrer wants to help everyone feel

too,” she writes. “Cannabis is for everyone.”

20 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

As a NorCal native living in Humboldt County who has written about cannabis from every angle, I was skeptical about what Furrer’s guide could offer me; the endocannabinoid system, entourage effect, and terpenes are rooted in my daily lexicon. But beginning with the pained portrait of a typical American, Furrer stresses that whatever your troubles, cannabis will probably help. “A plant that makes us happier and healthier isn’t wrong,” she writes.

Admittedly, this is her target audience: Women living in red states whose value systems dictate that cannabis is still cause for shame and skepticism. Reading through heartfelt and info-packed chapters on edibles, inhalants, shopping, and health—and more importantly, why these topics matter—I quickly started thinking of friends to whom I should gift A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis. Deep diving into anxiety, menstruation, and weight loss, Furrer innately understands that the path of womanhood is paved with rocks and hard places. From start to finish, women’s bodies mold, bleed, birth, and hurt, leaving our minds to make sense of all. It’s no walk in the park.

“Now that I’m in my 40s, cannabis makes me feel prettier and more relaxed than I ever was in my 20s or 30s,” writes Furrer. While many women are curious about how cannabis might help them “feel better, look better, and sleep better,” the barriers to safe and clean cannabis products are many. In her guidebook, Furrer breaks down the loopholes to obtaining doctors recommendations, going out of state (don’t come back with your weed, please!), and talking to your therapist/children/partner about cannabis. As she explains, you’re not the only one who might be feeling unsure and overwhelmed. “Medical schools do not teach cannabis medicine, so this is a new subject for doctors, too,” writes Furrer.

Though giving serious attention to legality, adolescent brain development, and dependence, Furrer is conscientious rather than conservative in her approach. “And dose just for fun? Well, that works too!” she writes.

The cannabis plant is anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and promotes healthy cell regeneration. If we consider mental, physical, and emotional health as one, it makes sense that treating arthritis or menstrual cramps comes with the fringe benefits of feeling better in every sense of the word.

Though A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis is meticulously detailed, Furrer encourages women to do their own research, using her book as point of departure. TCH or CBD? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, she writes, dedicating an entire chapter to synergistic effects of the two cannabinoids.

She calls THC the Queen Bee and CBD the Valedictorian, “But when they work together, they bring out the best in each other.” Illustrated charts on cannabis strains, terpenes, and minor cannabinoids you’ve never heard of (THCV?) are helpful, even whimsical, guides to keep you motivated during your cannabis education.

Whether a gift for Gram, that certain friend, or yourself, A Woman’s Guide to Cannabis provides insight and a pragmatism from a woman who knows. If you’re considering adding cannabis to your life or changing up your relationship to the plant, Furrer is the unabashed friend you want to bring along on your journey.

–Nora Mounce sensimag.com JUNE 2019 21

Meatless Mainstream It’s more than possible you’ll love the Impossible Burger.

Your beef burger habit is not just killing your chances of rocking a six-pack this swimsuit season, it’s killing the planet, one juicy cheesy bite at a time.

How’s that? Turns out cows are gassy creatures. Livestock, ahem, flatulence accounts for 26 percent of “man-made” methane emissions in the US—yes, man-made, we’re the ones breeding those cows so we can eat them and/or the milk products they produce. Methane traps heat in the atmosphere, ultimately speeding up global warming.

That’s not new news. What’s new is the tasty meat-free meat alternative that tastes impossibly like real meat that you can eat instead of beef—good for you, good for the planet. And it’s, you know, actually good. While veggie burgers of yore were hard, tasteless pucks that resembled a burger in nothing but shape, the Impossible Burger by Impossible Foods looks, smells, tastes, and satisfies just like the beef-based ones you’re used to. Like, a lot.

In May, news broke that Impossible Foods, the company behind the alternative meat patty known as the Impossible Burger, is valued at $2 billion, a figure that just a few years ago would have seemed, well, impossible. Burger King is even adding an Impossible Whopper to its menu.

While we applaud the fast food giant for bringing this healthy option to the masses, if you haven’t tried one of these marvels of nature yet, starting with a BK bite would be a whopper of a mistake. You, dear Colorado diner, are far too discerning for that. Luckily, you’ve got options.

The Find the Impossible tool on the company’s website shows 59 locations serving up the goods in the Mile High alone. Since you can’t try them all, here are some that we endorse as flippin’ delicious.

–SW 22 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

Next Door American Eatery //

Locations in Denver, Boulder, Glendale, Highlands Ranch, and Stapleton. NEXTDOOREATERY.COM

On the Menu: Impossible Burger Cheddar, house pickles, and thousand island, $15.25. There’s also a vegan option with mushroom, roasted onion, and thousand island.

Linger // 2030 W 30th Ave. LINGERDENVER.COM

On the Menu: The Impossible Burger Persian Sliders Hummus, dill, havarti, Israeli salad, avocado, arugula, with sweet potato waffle fries, $18.

The Monkey Barrel // 4401 Tejon St. MONKEYBARRELBAR.COM

On the Menu: The MCA Impossible Plant-Based Burger, swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato, spicy mustard, $14.

WARNING: THE IRS IS AFTER YOU Are You Ready?

Brutal Poodle // 1967 Broadway. BRUTALPOODLEDENVER.COM On the Menu: Impossible Burger The world’s first all-veggie burger that looks, tastes, and smells like real beef.

Is it magic? You be the judge. Cooked to order, served with your choice of cheese in a brioche bun. $15. Add bacon for $1.50.

The Cherry Cricket // Locations in Cherry Creek and Ballpark. CHERRYCRICKET.COM

On the Menu: Impossible Veggie Burger Toppings are all extra, as is standard at the iconic spot that bills itself as Denver’s favorite burger place since 1945. ¹⁄₃lb, $11.

Occidental // 1950 W. 32nd Ave. OCCIDENTALBAR.COM

On the Menu: Impossible Burger “The burger that tastes like beef, but made from plants,” toasted bun, lettuce, tomato, house bread and butter pickle. $10.

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{newsfeed }

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

Oh my. Coloradans are using cannabis when they exercise. Stop looking so surprised.

HIGHLY

It’s that time of year when you’re about ready to head for

The study doesn’t make a determination on whether

the gym, bust out a bike ride or a hike in the hills. And, chanc-

cannabis actually helps or hinders their exercise routine.

es are, if you live in Colorado and other states where canna-

“What this suggests is that it is not case that cannabis is

bis is legal for adults to use, you’re also hitting a vaporizer,

associated with obesity and sedentary behavior,” says An-

smoking some bud, eating an edible, or letting a tincture

gela Bryan, a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience

settle under your tongue before or after the experience.

at CU and one of the paper’s seven authors. “It’s much

That interesting bit of news comes from “The New Run-

more nuanced than we thought.”

ner’s High? Examining Relationships Between Cannabis Use

Indeed. The science on the subject, like on almost all

and Exercise Behavior in States with Legalized Cannabis re-

things cannabis, is decidedly mixed. In a 2015 paper, Bryan

search,” a study published in Frontiers in Public Health from

and some other scientists pointed out major discrepancies

the University of Colorado-Boulder Department of Psychol-

about cannabis use and exercise. On the one hand, the World

ogy and Neuroscience and the Institute for Cognitive Sci-

Anti-Doping Agency prohibits cannabis use in sporting com-

ence. It found that 80 percent of participants indicated they

petitions because of its potential to improve performance.

use it before and after they exercise—maybe even during it.

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On the other, we have the image, continually propagated

MOTIVATED

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“When we ask what it does for them, most said it enhanced their motivation to work out and helped them recover from exercise.”

—Angela Bryan, Colorado University

by popular culture and marketers alike, of potheads—locked on the sofa, overweight, junk food in hand—that has proliferated for half a century, back to the days when Cheech and Chong were poking fun at the whole thing. This year’s 420 celebration was more an orgy of marketing than a celebration of legal, adult-use. A national chain promoted a hamburger in Denver that included a dab of cannabidiol, or CBD, in the sauce, and my inbox was deluged with product pitches in the month leading up to the April “high holiday.”

Those images and the concept of the inert stoner are not just used to sell things.

A 2018 Australian study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology looked at 57 people who used cannabis and 57 control subjects. The results, researchers concluded, were that marijuana can be detrimental to “long-term goal planning.”

Another one last year suggests that cannabis, unlike alcohol or tobacco, might give some heavy users “amotivational syndrome” and “lower initiative and persistence.”

This brings up something that has always bothered me and probably any cannabis user. I began reading as much as I could about it, and there was much about how pot somehow takes away your motivation. Sure, I’ve engaged in my share of couch lock after consuming some cannabis, but most often after smoking a joint, I’m cleaning the house, weeding the yard, or working, so I began to question the literature. It was a lie then, and it’s a lie now. But like the old trope about cannabis being a gateway to more dangerous drugs—which has been debunked time and again—these lazy stoner images, in films and television and commercials, endure.

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Made at High Altitude in Durango, CO

RUNNING ON FUMES Bryan and her colleagues created an online survey about cannabis use and health behavior and posted it in places where users would find it in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, where adult-use cannabis is legal. The 620 respondents’ mean age was 37, with 54 percent males and 46 percent females.

They were asked about their use of cannabis in relation to health. Almost 500, or about 81 percent, said they use cannabis before or after exercise.

Slightly more said they used it after than before, but the report notes that “most cannabis users who use cannabis concurrent with exercise report doing so both before and after exercise.”

Why? Slightly more than half said it helped motivate them to get physical, more than 70 percent said it increased the pleasure of exercise, and almost 80 percent said it helped them recuperate afterwards. “When we asked what it does for them, most said it enhanced their motivation to work out and helped them recover from exercise,” Bryan says. “Less than 40 percent say it helped their performance.”

This corresponds to what ultra-endurance runner Avery Collins told me a couple years ago. He uses cannabis to control inflammation after a workout, but never during a race to improve his performance. “The starting point is recovery,” he said. “Whether eating an edible, using a topical, or smoking a bowl,

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The study’s admitted limitations include that respondents were not asked what strain or type of cannabis was used or how it was ingested, and the respondents were in legal states, all of which rank high in citizen exercise numbers anyway. “I wish we knew this many people were going to answer the way they did,” Bryan says. “We know generally what they use because they’re users. But we have no idea what kinds.”

That people use cannabis when they exercise shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. TV newscasters reporting the story seemed dumbfounded. Perhaps they have fallen for the stereotype, or maybe they fell asleep or had a bad time the couple of times they tried it.

Are there people who probably shouldn’t use cannabis? Of course. Which is one reason regulations include education programs. A person who already struggles with motivation might not find cannabis helpful, and there’s a lot of marketing out there pushing the stoner image. People who gravitate to and stay with cannabis as part of their lives know better. And if we want to sit on the couch and vegetate every now and then, who cares?

MOVING ON UP As I write this, the dust is just settling over the fact that Denver voters narrowly approved the decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms. Which means that if you want to exercise while eating shrooms, you won’t be arrested for it.

In the larger scale of things, this might seem like such a big deal. It in no way legalizes mushrooms, and it only applies to local police priorities. But a little hindsight reminds us that cannabis decriminalization preceded legalization— and there are still many states that haven’t even decriminalized—and it wasn’t until people began realizing that people shouldn’t be arrested or imprisoned for using a plant that states began to seriously consider making it legal.

In some ways, you can’t really compare the two. Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, is much different than cannabis. A majority of Americans admit to trying cannabis, while only about one in 10 say they’re taken mushrooms. Denver police rarely arrest anyone for possessing them. Psilocybin is not an addictive substance, and you can’t overdose. As Michael Pollan noted recently in the New York Times, it shows real promise in treating illnesses, but nothing at this point is definitive and more research is needed (where have we heard that before?) before we jump to conclusions.

The Denver vote to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms brings the issue further into the open. The concept that psilocybin can be used in therapeutic ways is hardly novel. It has been used for centuries in religious and spiritual ceremonies, and was being seriously studied until it was swept into the War on Drugs and listed as Schedule I by the United Nations and the US, considered to have a high potential for abuse and not recognized for medical use, where it remains today.

Which is why this vote is important. It cracks open the door, hopefully beyond the Denver border, for honest conversation on all sides of the issue. Let’s not screw it up this time. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 31

www.myPando.com

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sensimag.com JUNE 2019 33

{starpowered }

by N AT H A C A M PA N E L L A

VIRGO

JUNE

Aug 23–Sept 22

HOROSCOPES GEMINI

May 21–June 21

Romance may seem elusive or even confusing this month but if you’re willing to reflect on your emotions and allow some of your defenses to dissolve, your relationships may feel downright magical. It may be hard—you enjoy resting on the surface, seeking mental stimulation and avoiding intimacy. Pull yourself a bit deeper. You’ll likely learn some tools for working with some of what you’ve been avoiding.

CANCER

June 22–July 22

Practice asking for what you want and what you need. You instinctively nurture and caretake for the people in your life.

You likely expect those you care for to meet your needs, too. Unfortunately, most people won’t intuit what those needs are. Look for opportunities, especially in your relationships, to transform your give-and-take system into something more balanced.

Advocate for yourself, seek out friends you can talk to, and touch into your intuition. You’ll see yourself more clearly.

34 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

LEO

July 23–Aug 22

You love to shine, and this month you’ll be very visible.

You’ll find that recognition is easy to come by at work, at home, and socially. So, considering the potential that spotlight will bring, are there things about the world you wish you could change? This is the month to cultivate your inner activist and make your voice heard. Validation is important to you—but it feels better when it’s naturally given, doesn’t it? You’ll find opportunities to use your natural vibrancy to pull people toward you (instead of demanding that they acknowledge your existence). This will go a long way toward helping you be the change you wish to see.

Prepare to turn heads in the business arena. Know that the more you network with colleagues, the more successful you’ll be. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or share your opinions, as it will prove you’re interesting and innovative.

When it comes to your love life, study up on the teachings of experts, and then discuss what you learn with your partner. It sounds like elementary advice, but if you want to heal something in your love life, conversation is the entry point.

LIBRA

Sept 23–Oct 22

This is a great month to put your natural social leadership skills to good use. The more you schmooze, the more success you’ll find at work.

Of course, with more success comes more money, and you’ll be lucky in the financial department. Just don’t forget to take care of yourself. You don’t have go to bed early every night or drink big glasses of water (although those are

Leo, this is the month to cultivate your inner activist and make your voice heard.

always good ideas), but make sure to schedule some down time so you can regroup.

SCORPIO

Oct 23–Nov 21

You’re complicated, but that’s what makes you compelling.

Your relentless search for intensity is part of the reason your loved ones may find you difficult to understand.

Speaking of the ones you love, your relationships are potent this month, more so than usual. Why is that? Well, it comes down to the idea of freedom. Are you feeling like you’re under the thumb of your partner? Maybe your partner feels that way about you. This month, you might become aware of some power struggles. Independence doesn’t always involve betrayal, even if you fear that it does. Use this month to do some soul searching around those fears and you’ll likely find that they’re irrational.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 22–Dec 21

You’ve probably heard that your health is tied to your emotions, which will prove true for you this month. If you’re willing to dedicate time to yourself in nurturing ways, your efforts will support both your physical and your emotional state.

If you’re tired, take a nap. If you’re hungry, eat something healthy (and yes, you can find

Taurus, your naturally conservative outlook may feel more constrictive than usual.

nourishing food that tastes good). If you’re restless, go out and exercise. You tend to burn the candle at both ends, delighting in having fun and pushing the limits. Know that this month, if you overextend yourself and breeze over the impact of that stress, your health may suffer a bit for it.

CAPRICORN

Dec 22–Jan 19

Your reputation is important to you. You seek respect, but needing constant validation of that respect is limiting and exhausting. You’ll get the opportunity to examine your beliefs about how “respectable” people act. You may get insight into the ways you make people think you’re powerful, even when you don’t believe yourself to be. Pay attention; you’ll also learn to develop natural power, the kind that doesn’t require forcing people to see it.

AQUARIUS

Jan 20–Feb 18

You love to be alone, yet people fascinate you. You want to be seen as unique and inventive, yet when people say you are, you brush it off. This month presents the perfect environment for you to analyze that push-pull thing you do—why must you always give someething up in order to gain? How are you progressive but inflexible? Dispassionate but opinionated?

These are broad concepts, and that’s fine because you enjoy that kind of thing. Explore your mind, but don’t rely on logic.

The answers will likely come from metaphysical means.

Integrate fresh new awareness about yourself and the world into your life.

PISCES

Feb 19–Mar 20

Work-life balance is real for you this month, and it may not feel easy. Proving you’re a diligent worker is never that high on your list of priorities.

Yet this month, it may become important. Try not to get too caught up in the performance, though; you don’t want to lose touch with your sense of self. Speaking of that: who are you exactly? It’s a valid question, one you’ll be pushed to examine. Are you an earnest employee? A nurturing parent? An attention seeker? Are you politely distant? If you’re willing to answer, you’ll find a sense of equilibrium.

ARIES

Mar 21–Apr 19

Attention to detail isn’t your thing. Neither are all the little tasks you deem boring or

tiresome. They still require attention though, and chores still need to be done. You can make some career headway this month, but you’ll have to be willing to apply yourself to the small, monotonous things.

Here’s the solution: remember that just because something needs to be done doesn’t mean you need to be the one to do it. Apply your Aries fire and delegate, ask for favors, make bargains. Your communication skills are off the charts this month, and the more you connect with people, the easier (and more exciting) the humdrum will become.

TAURUS

Apr 20–May 20

Though stability and predictability tend to be the names of your game, you might experience some restlessness.

Instead of making you feel

comfy and safe, your naturally conservative outlook may feel more constrictive than usual. If you’re looking for ways to innovate or establish more independence, don’t zone out with food or alcohol. Instead, look for deeper meaning by seeking out spiritual teachings, metaphysical tools, or messages from other dimensions. Sound a little farfetched? Override your logical judgements, because this month, you are primed for integrating fresh new awareness about yourself and the world into your life.

Some say astrology is a science, some say it’s an art. NATHA CAMPANELLA ( @NATHA_CAMPANELLA_ASTROLOGY on Insta) calls it both. Natha is a professional astrologer specializing in evolutionary astrology. When she’s not working, you can find her writing for online publications and conducting interviews on her podcast Star Narratives.

NATHACAMPANELLA.COM

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 35

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{lifestyle }

by A . J . H E R R I N G T O N

THE CANNABIS LIFE CYCLE Understanding the male and female properties of everyone’s favorite elevating plant.

When you’re learning to cultivate cannabis, knowledge

IN THE BEGINNING

of the plant’s life cycle as it grows in nature can help you

A cannabis plant begins with a seed in the ground that

understand how to nurture your garden. Cannabis has an

sprouts in the warming temperatures and moist soil of

annual life cycle; this completes in one year in the wild.

spring. Many home cultivators also start each plant from

New plants sprout from planted spring seeds and grow

seed, either in the spring for a plot outdoors or throughout

through the summer until the plant flowers in autumn.

the year for indoor gardens. Seeds can be planted directly in

Once fertilized flowers mature, the plant fades and dies,

soil or another growing medium, or you can germinate them

leaving nature to take over. Ripe seeds are then dispersed

first by placing them between moist paper towels. Within a

by birds and weather. With an understanding of this natu-

few days to a week or more, the seed shell will crack open,

ral life cycle, you can mimic or even manipulate your gar-

followed by the emergence of a taproot and a pair of embry-

den’s conditions to produce ripe, resinous flowers.

onic leaves, known as cotyledons, joined together on a stem.

38 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

The first pair of true leaves, which have the iconic serrated edge but only one blade, appears between the cotyledons, extending the seedling’s stem as it grows. The process continues with a new pair of leaves emerging from the middle of the previous set, with the number of blades growing in odd numbers until the maximum for the strain is reached.

VEGETATIVE GROWTH When a seedling begins to put out its true leaves, it enters a stage known as vegetative growth. As the days lengthen through spring into summer, the plant soaks up abundant sunlight, growing taller and filling out with side branches.

Most of its eventual size will be reached during vegetative growth. Given the ideal conditions and a long growing season, cannabis plants cultivated outdoors can soar to the size of trees, eventually dwarfing the gardener who nurtured

REMOVE THE MALE PLANTS AND FEMALES WILL PRODUCE FLOWER AFTER FLOWER IN A FIT OF SEXUAL FRUSTRATION.

them. Several weeks into this cycle, plants will reach sexual maturity and be able to flower when the conditions are right.

IT’S FLOWERING TIME! As autumn approaches, longer nights stimulate cannabis

APPLYING YOUR UNDERSTANDING

plants to begin to flower. Cannabis is dioecious, meaning that

Gardeners can exploit knowledge of the cannabis plant

male and female flowers are produced on separate plants.

life cycle to control growth and flowering. For example, the

Male plants produce staminate flowers that resemble tiny

fact that plants begin to flower with the onset of long nights

footballs until the petals open to release pollen. Female pis-

means they can be kept in vegetative growth with 16 to18

tillate flowers consist of a teardrop-shaped calyx, with fine

hours of light per day until they reach the desired size. They

hair-like pistils protruding, waving in the wind to catch grains

can then be induced to flower by switching the lighting to

of pollen. Individual flowers are quite small, but female flow-

equal 12-hour increments of light and dark. Gardeners can

ers grow in masses to create the buds we all recognize. When

also take advantage of the dioecious nature of cannabis

a female flower is fertilized with pollen, the calyx swells as a

plants by removing males from the garden at the onset of

seed for the next generation grows inside.

flowering, once sex can be determined. Denied of pollen,

MATURATION AND DECLINE After releasing pollen, male flowers decline and die

the females will continue to produce flower after flower in a fit of sexual frustration. The resulting clusters will be larger and more potent than if they had been pollinated.

away as the season ends. Once a female plant has been

No matter what level of cultivator you are, you can use

pollinated well, it stops producing new flowers, putting

your knowledge to exploit and explore the plant’s natural

its energy into producing seed instead. The seeds swell,

tendencies. For example, pinching away the growing tip

darken, and harden as they mature, with a tiny embry-

of a branch can result in two new shoots, increasing the

onic member of the next generation tucked inside. As the

number of flowering sites. The propensity of a cut shoot

plants decline and dry up, they often collapse under the

to grow roots when placed in a moist growing medium

weight of the bounty of seeds, spreading them as the

means gardeners can do away with one step of the nat-

desiccated flower clusters shatter on the ground. The

ural life cycle completely, creating the next generation by

seeds then wait out the winter for the arrival of spring to

propagating new plants with clones instead of seeds. It’s

begin the cycle anew.

an exciting time to cultivate. Come grow with us. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 39

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{tastebuds }

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

SPAGHETTI ALLA WESTERN Midsummer’s farmers market shopping is an Italian contact sport.

Walking through the Boulder Farmers Market with Anto-

According to Antonio Laudisio, you’ve got to elbow your

nio Laudisio is a little like shopping for paints with Vincent

way in to see, touch, and smell the produce and ask ques-

Van Gogh. You’re not just going to grab a tube of cobalt blue

tions. Taste the greens. Getting the most out of a farmers

and go home because the goods guide you, not vice versa.

market means treating it like a contact sport.

“Look at that! That spinach is beautiful,” says Laudisio. “I would take it and add farm eggs and make a frittata.”

As he walks through the farmers market, every fresh ingredient leads to a story, a recipe or a cautionary tale.

Then Laudisio notices crusty baguettes at a nearby

“Less is more when you start with great stuff. Those

booth. “You could cut those in half and toast them. Cook the

young radish greens are so good and spicy. They don’t

spinach in olive oil with a little lemon juice and a sprinkle of

need to be cooked, just add them raw to a salad,” he says.

red pepper flakes. You put that over the bread with parmi-

Perfect baby potatoes came into view. “Boil them just a

giano, and there’s no way you don’t want to eat it,” he says.

little while, then roast them with rosemary in a mix of 40

Laudisio is looking for ingredients to top the pizzas at his market food booth. On a sunny Saturday morning, half the strolling shoppers seem to know and greet him.

With his curled white moustache, Brooklyn-tinged accent and tendency to talk with his hands, Antonio Laudisio

percent butter and 60 percent oil so they don’t burn.”

I asked him how he would cook exotic fresh mushrooms. “I wouldn’t. You slice the royal trumpet mushrooms razor thin and toss with some cremini mushrooms in a salad with salt, pepper, and a simple dressing with fresh parsley,” he says.

is a market icon. Talk to him about his life and he legit-

Asparagus should be simply steamed and served with

imately name drops Al Capone, Ernest Hemingway, and

poached eggs on top, he shares, noting that this is exactly

Fidel Castro. He has stories to tell.

what he feeds his own family. “My daughter said: ‘How do

With his brothers Raimondo and Leonardo, Antonio introduced generations of Boulder-Denver diners to simple, authentic Italian cuisine beyond spaghetti and meatballs at Ristorante Laudisio from 1989 to 2013. At 78, he co-owns The Mediterranean Restaurant and operates a catering business using the portable wood-burning ovens he built by hand.

you make them taste so good?’ I just pick good ones and then leave them alone.”

TRACKING DOWN THE GOODS To cook like Laudisio you need to have certain basics on hand. Not the cheap stuff—you have to invest in the good

Colorado’s first farmer-run market opened in Boulder,

stuff like Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, ca-

inspired in part by markets Laudisio had seen throughout

pers, and prosciutto. (For essential Italian pantry items to

Italy. “In Italy, there’s no farmers market. It’s just the mar-

have on hand, see the pantry list sidebar.)

ket. It’s a way of life. Nobody would ask chefs how to cook

You can find some of these ingredients at many supermar-

things. Everyone who sold at the market will tell you how

kets, but along the Front Range you’ll find the real thing—

to clean a vegetable and cook it,” he says.

markets and delis run by multigenerational Italian families

42 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

o n s ’ e r e h t , y l “In Ita et. k r a m s r e m far et. k r a m e h t t s It’s ju fe.” i l f o y a w a It’s disio

au —Antonio L

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 43

44 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

reflecting the strong Italian immigrant heritage of Colorado.

Find a Farmers Market BOULDER 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturdays and 4–8 p.m. Wednesdays

This summer, take a farmers market road trip, and stop at Spinelli’s Market in Denver, Carmine Lonardo’s Meat Market and Italian Deli in Lakewood, Mollica’s Italian Market and Deli in Colorado Springs, and the state’s ultimate

LONGMONT 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays

Italian family store, Gagliano’s Italian Market in Pueblo.

DENVER 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturdays

Torrone nougat, Stella D’oro anisette toasts, and Cento

LAFAYETTE 4 p.m.–8 p.m. Thursdays

sold wrapped in white butcher paper, bake cookies, sell

COLORADO SPRINGS: Colorado Farm and Art Market 3–7 p.m. Wednesdays Colorado Springs Pioneer’s Museum 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturdays Old Colorado City Farmers Market 7 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Saturdays PUEBLO 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Fridays For more info on these and other markets:

COLORADOFARMERS.ORG/FIND-MARKETS

This is where you’ll find imported grocery items—your canned tomatoes. They often make their own sausage “grinders” (hot sandwiches), and offer take-home entrées like lasagna big enough to feed the family.

A FARMERS MARKET TO CALL HOME Colorado’s cache of farmers markets has grown each year, and markets can be found in towns from Fort Collins to Trinidad, but all markets are not all the same. Antonio Laudisio said that the only “real” farmers markets are those run by the growers themselves who generally

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 45

46 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: Bring salted water to boil in large pot, add spaghetti, cook

until “al dente”—that means “firm to the tooth,” not soft.

STEP 2: Heat olive oil and garlic over medium flame in a large skillet.

Be careful not to brown the garlic, or it will have a bitter taste.

STEP 3: Add eggs and fry over medium heat, with yolks not runny, but slightly firm. Drain pasta, reserving pasta water on the side.

STEP 4: Put spaghetti in frying pan and slowly add pasta water (to just moisten, not soak).

STEP 5: Toss gently with eggs and garlic, then add parmesan, crushed red pepper, and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 6: Serve hot sprinkled with parsley on a warmed platter.

A Midsummer Night’s Pasta Dish Here is Antonio Laudisio’s recipe for Spaghetti All’uovo from La Famiglia Laudisio: The Cookbook.

INGREDIENTS

Yields four servings.

• 1 lb spaghetti • 4 tbsp olive oil (best quality) • 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed • 6 large farm eggs • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese • 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, chopped • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

ITALIAN ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR PANTRY

• Grating cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano • • • • • • • • • • •

• •

Extra virgin olive oil Capers: Tart nuggets for seafood and salad dressings Canned San Marzano tomatoes for an easy sauce Fresh lemons: Juice, zest and grilled slices for seafood Dried pasta: Long spaghetti and short, chewy penne Breadcrumbs, Italian or panko, turn summer veggies into tasty pan-sizzled treats Garlic: fresh—not pre-peeled, pre-minced, a paste or dried Red wine: Box or bottle Pine nuts: Toasted atop sautéed spinach, bruschetta, ice cream Cured meats: Salami, pancetta, prosciutto, and bacon Sea salt, green herbs, red pepper flakes Vinegar: Balsamic, red wine, or sherry Optional: Canned anchovies, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and Cannellini or fava beans

sell only what they grow with the exception of Western

of cooking with cured meats for quick dinner. “For a veg-

Slope fruit. In other words, no pineapples. The prepared

etable like broccoli raab, first you cut up the stems and

food vendors are also always local businesses, not chains.

poach them until they’re just tender. Start with one clove of

Farmers market and ethnic market foods are some-

crushed garlic in extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add sliced

times perceived as being overpriced compared to super-

summer sausage. Put in the poached stems and broccoli

market options, but they deliver great family values. The

raab tops…and al dente penne if you like,” he says.

heirloom and organic varieties are unavailable elsewhere,

Knowing the question would irk him, I wonder aloud: Why

and are generally fresher and better tasting. Pointing your

so little garlic? “What they’ve done with garlic in America is

dollars that way supports family farmers, sustainability, a

just terrible,” he says. “You have use peel fresh garlic just

viable local economy, and the larger community.

before you use it. I know because I used to have to peel

Italians have a saying: La famiglia sopra tutto. Family

bushels of it at my family’s restaurant in Miami. Now, you

above all. However you define yours, family is the most

get bins of peeled garlic and a lot of it is rancid. It’s too easy

important thing in the world.

to use too much. When I was a kid, my mother would cut up

HOLD THE GARLIC! My final Boulder Farmers Market stop with Antonio Laudisio is near a charcuterie stand, which prompts thoughts

garlic and put it in the oil for a minute and then remove it, or it just gets bitter. You’ve got to respect the ingredients.”

JOHN LEHNDORFF is the grandson of a Sicilian grocer and sausage maker. John hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU. Podcasts: NEWS.KGNU.ORG/CATEGORY/RADIO-NIBBLES

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 47

48 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

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EN

Be friends with all things ecological. Be eco-friendly.

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

If you haven’t yet watched Our Planet ON NETFLIX, PUT DOWN

THE MAGAZINE, FIND A BIG HD SCREEN SOMEWHERE, LOG IN, SIT BACK, AND LET YOURSELF GET LOST IN THE BEAUTY OF NATURE, IN THE CADENCE OF NARRATOR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’S VOICE. APPRECIATE IT. AND THEN WITNESS WHAT HUMANS ARE DOING TO IT. YOU’RE GONNA FEEL SOME FEAR—THAT’S GOOD. MAYBE EVEN GET ANGRY—EVEN BETTER. ANGER BEGETS ACTION, ACTION IS NECESSARY. Without action, scientists warn that global tempera-

It’s “an ambitious documentary of spectacular scope”—

tures could reach an irreversible tipping point in just 12

that’s according to Netflix and pretty much everyone else

years, according to a report released last fall. So 11.5 years

who’s seen it—that examines how climate change im-

and counting. And then what happens, you ask? You still

pacts all living creatures. It shows us remote places and

haven’t watched Our Planet, have you? Go. Watch. It.

habitats as they were, as they are, and as they will be if sensimag.com JUNE 2019 51

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there’s not systemic action by governments, corporations, and individuals—you, me, we—to stop global warming.

Ok. Did you know plogging is a thing? It’s a thing—a fun thing, not a the-world-is-ending-but-keep-paying-

Colorado—the state—is the 21st greenest state in the

your-student-loans-until-it-actually-does kind of thing.

US, according to a 2018 WalletHub report that compared

You’ve made it through the super downer part of this

each state on 27 metrics, from LEED-certified buildings

piece—thanks for sticking with me. There’s a joke here

per capita and share of energy consumption from renew-

about how anyone who insists on keeping their head

able resources to air quality, daily water consumption,

stuck in the proverbial sand won’t notice that the rising

and average commute times. (Highest Water Quality and

sea levels are about to put that sand under water, but I

LEED-certified buildings per capita earned Colorado its

promised it was time for the fun part. So let’s get to that.

best rankings.)

Coloradans—the people—are green as hell. I don’t have

TRASHY TREND

research data to back that up but all one has to do to see

We spent the winter and snowy spring living the hygge

the eco-conscious mindset of the people who live here

life—or at least trying to. The Scandinavian art of coziness is

is take a walk in the hills on any given Saturday. We love

all about taking pleasure in the presence of gentle, soothing

the outdoors, we want to protect it. We make conscious

things. Like slipping off your ski boots and sliding into fur-

decisions to do so. We’re pretty awesome.

ry, warm slippers, wrapping yourself in a thick, cream-col-

And we can all do more. It may not seem like it will make a difference if you bring your own cup to the cof-

ored knit blanket, and drinking spiked hot chocolate by the fire in a room decorated in soothing neutral hues.

feeshop instead of having the barista pour your daily

That was then; this is now. And now there is a new

caffeine fix into recyclable cardboard, but every small

Scandinavian trend in town we all can get behind: plog-

change adds up to a whole lot. You’re probably thinking,

ging. No, it’s not a sexual innuendo. The word is a combo

tell me something I don’t know.

of the Swedish phrase plocka upp (translation: pick up) sensimag.com JUNE 2019 53

54 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

and jogging. As is the activity it describes: picking up litter while jogging. A simple act that’s good for you, good for the planet. And thanks to the efforts of the nonprofit org Keep America Beautiful, it’s turning into a movement.

Getting into this trend couldn’t be easier, just take a bag out on your jog, walk, hike or trail run, and fill it up with trash you pick up along your route—and all along the Front Range, we’ve got some of the planet’s most gorgeous routes to help beautify.

Log and track your green fitness journey on the Lifesum fitness app using the plogging workout setting.

Burn bonus calories by doing a proper squat to pick up every piece of litter. Your ass will thank you. The planet will thank you. We all will thank you.

CONSCIOUSLY FASHIONABLE Fast fashion isn’t just not eco-friendly, it’s an ecological disaster. It’s called fast fashion for two reasons: a new design hits the runway and mass-market retailers move fast to produce cheap knockoffs that hit the stores while the style is trending. A consumer often will only wear an item a few times before tossing it and buying something new.

Fast fashion ends up in the trash fast. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It’s taking a toll on our terrestrial home. According to research published by O Magazine, the clothing industry is

FAST FASHION IS NOT SUSTAINABLE ON SO MANY LEVELS, BUT IT’S ALSO TOUGH FOR ALREADYCASH-STRAPPED MILLENNIALS AND GEN ZS TO AFFORD THE BASICS.

one of the biggest global polluters, producing 20 percent of all wastewater and 10 percent of carbon emissions. In the last two decades, global production has more than doubled thanks to the rise of fast fashion, as consumers buy more clothes and keep them less. When something is easy to acquire, it’s easy to discard.

That’s not sustainable on so many levels, but it’s also tough for already-cash-strapped millennials and gen Zs to afford the basics like avocado toast. Forget about anything that could be called an “investment piece”—just not one with financial returns. A sustainably produced designer dress is gonna be pricier, sure, but making sustainable choices as a consumer will help ensure the planet is still sustaining life when it’s time for you to retire.

Good news: brands like H&M are leading a global charge toward sustainable fashion. Fifty-seven percent of all materials H&M Group uses to make its products are created using recycled or other sustainably sourced fibers. The company’s vision to use 100 percent sustainable cotton by 2020 is almost realized, and the group is well on its way to its goal of complete sustainability by 2030. So you don’t have to feel like an eco-terrorist for buying its affordable fashions. Just ask yourself before purchasing any item here or at any store: will I get 30 wears out of this? If not, put it back—fast. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 55

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{aroundtown }

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

ROOM TO GROW There’s nothing like harvesting your own fresh food, and community gardens are a good way to do it.

Time was when almost everybody kept a little garden.

Gardens have never gone out of style, but they have

America was more rural than urban, and space wasn’t at such

been particularly important at certain times in our history.

a premium. Today, people who live in city apartments with

The early colonists, of course, had their own home gar-

nominal space want fresh veggies and fruits, too, and these

dens for their home basics; today we just hit the grocery

days, growing your own seems more appealing than ever.

store for greens.

There are plenty of tiny grow box kits and designs aimed

During World War I and World War II, many American

at tiny spaces in apartments, but for many, that isn’t quite

crops were siphoned off for soldiers overseas and to aid

the same as digging around in the dirt and planting things

the severe food shortages across Europe. Governments

you want to care for and nurturing them in a natural set-

in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and the US were en-

ting until they are ready to become part of your meals.

couraged to plant Victory gardens to support these efforts

58 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

and to promote local food production. By 1945, the end of

180 in the Denver Urban Gardens network alone. Most of

World War II, 40 million American families acted.

them are open to the public.

The wars ended and interest in gardens for food waned

A good place to get your feet wet is the American Com-

as more people moved to cities. Today, Americans live in

munity Gardening Association, which offers lots of in-

small urban areas at a time when fresh food is seen as

formation for budding gardeners. Denverites can locate

part of a sustainable lifestyle.

plots nearby at the Denver Urban Gardens website, while

Studies on the subject suggest that people involved in

Colorado Springs residents can use the Pikes Peak Urban

community gardens eat more vegetables and fruits than

Gardens site (see sidebar for links). These sites specialize

those who don’t. Well, duh. But taking it a step farther, people

in general information to get you thinking.

in community gardens are sharing their own knowledge and

It’s not too late to get started this season. There are still

soaking up others’. That should be a goal for everyone, right?

some plots available around the Front Range, and plenty

You get all that in a community garden, and much more.

of summer remains to grow a bounty of crops. Some can

To be honest, I was surprised at the increasing number of

still be started from seeds in June, including herbs, lettuces,

citizen plots around the Front Range. Growing Gardens, a

and leaf greens like chard and kale. Get climate-appropriate

nonprofit that works with local gardens, manages more

seeds from local Colorado garden seed companies such as

than 500 plots in Boulder County, and there are more than

Lake Valley (LAKEVALLEYSEEDS.COM ), Bounty Beyond Besensimag.com JUNE 2019 59

60 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

lief (BBBSEED.COM ), and Broomfield’s Botanical Interests

a Fall Gardening class and plant sale Aug. 24, and others

(BOTANICALINTERESTS.COM ). A variety of vegetables can be

offer cooking classes and seasonal farm-to-table dinners.

planted outdoors in Colorado as late as July: broccoli, brus-

These are great places to network and learn more.

sels sprouts, beets, kale, and more. You can find a handy graph of what to plant when depending on your location on the Urban Farmer website (UFSEEDS.COM ).

BUILD RELATIONSHIPS Once you get a group together, identify member strengths

If there’s no plot available near you—after all, gardens

and begin using them to get things done. Create rules with

require tending—start your own. Sure, it takes more time

everybody’s needs, desires, and behaviors in mind. What

and effort and commitment than just renting/using an ex-

resources in the community are available? Does your town-

isting plot, and it might be too late to get a garden started

ship offer incentives or subsidies for community gardens?

this season. But if you start planning now—start planting

Should you find a sponsor to help subsidize the operation

the seeds, if you will—a community garden just may grow.

or will membership dues support your efforts?

Here are some things to consider as you begin:

FIND ALLIES

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Perhaps there is a parcel in your neighborhood that isn’t

If you have been talking to neighbors and friends indi-

being utilized and gathering weeds. Consider the long-

vidually, take it a step farther and get everybody togeth-

term when looking at leases. Plan ahead: number of plots,

er. Find out what people want from a garden and what

sunshine and water needs, room for tools, storage, soil

should be planted for best results in your locality. (And no,

and compost, and space between individual plots. Is liabil-

you can’t plant cannabis.) Use social media to reach out to

ity insurance necessary? Create volunteer work crews to

possible stakeholders, like property owners, government,

clean and design the plot. Making the entire area respect-

NGO organizations, and horticultural societies.

able and inviting will win over other neighbors who might

Watch for and attend events from local gardening organizations. For instance, the Denver Urban Gardens organization has a Garden Troubleshooting class June 15 and

be skeptical, so make sure the entire space looks good.

DON’T FORGET THE KIDDOS Get the kids involved by having special garden opportunities for them, both to learn how gardens work and how

PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY GARDENS ARE SHARING THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE AND SOAKING UP OTHERS’.

THAT SHOULD BE A GOAL FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT?

gardening promotes sustainability. Don’t forget that they are the future of the garden itself.

KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN There are all kinds of ways to keep communications open these days. Consider any approach that seems to work best for everyone. Look for opportunities to sponsor events based around sustainable gardening. Post regularly on a bulletin board in the garden itself and social media pages to keep everybody up-to-date. Most of all, have fun; gardens are one of the keys to establishing real community and friends. To build a village takes a village. Happy growing.

RESOURCE CENTERS TO GET YOU GROWING. American Community Gardening Association: COMMUNITYGARDEN.ORG Denver Urban Gardens: DUG.ORG Colorado State Boulder County Extension: BIT.LY/BOULDERGARDENING Boulder Area: GROWINGGARDENS.ORG Pikes Peak Urban Gardens: PPUGARDENS.COM

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{travelwell }

by DAV I D D U R A N

66 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

This year, as the Grand Canyon celebrates 100 years as a

tact European structure in Arizona, attracting over 200,000

designated National Park, the state of Arizona has so much

visitors each year. There’s also the world-famous Sonoran

to offer travelers. Arizona (VISITARIZONA.COM) is one of those

hot dog. Sonoran-style hot dogs are bacon wrapped and

states that is most often associated with iconic national

come with beans, grilled onions, fresh onion, tomato, mayo,

parks because it’s home to the Grand Canyon. The state of-

mustard, and jalapeño sauce—and the best Sonoran hot

fers so many incredible options for visitors, year-round and

dogs come from El Guero Canelo (ELGUEROCANELO.COM ).

in every part of the state, so no matter where you land in Ar-

El Guero Canelo, owned by Sonora-born Daniel Contreras,

izona, there’s something to experience, from a private resort

has three locations in Tucson, in addition to a meat market

for two nestled in the red rocks of Sedona to jaw-dropping

in Tucson and a bakery and tortilla factory in Magdalena,

nature that will have you snapping endless photos to food

Sonora, in Mexico. Contreras opened his first hot dog stand

that will leave your taste buds craving more. Here are some

in Tucson in 1993 and has become somewhat of a local

highlights to help inspire your next Arizona adventure.

celebrity, as his Sonoran hot dogs are legendary.

TASTE THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD A smaller sister restaurant to Barrio Café, Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s highly celebrated Phoenix-based restaurant known for regional Mexican favorites, Barrio Café Gran Reserva (BARRIOCAFE.COM ) seats only 30 people, including two seats at the bar, and has a radically different menu. At Gran Reserva, the half-vegan, unique and bold menu uses traditional Mexican techniques to create one-of-a-kind dishes.

Here you can choose from a tasting menu or à la carte. Chef Silvana carefully sources ingredients and pairs them with Mexican wines and craft cocktails. She truly is one of Arizona’s best chefs, not to mention she is a total badass within her industry. In a state filled with incredible Mexican food, HOT DOG PHOTO BY ALEX FARNUM / BATHTUB PHOTO COURTESY OF SUN CLIFF SEDONA

Chef Silvana consistently reigns supreme. Reservations are highly recommended, though walk-ins are welcome.

SAVOR A WORLD-FAMOUS HOT DOG

STAY IN A RESORT FOR TWO Nestled in the scenic landscapes of Sedona is a resort for

There are many reasons to visit Tucson. It has a vibrant

two that will capture your heart from the moment you step

downtown filled with shiny new and established restau-

inside. The casita offers majestic, unobstructed views of

rants; the Pima Air & Space Museum, one of the largest

Cathedral Rock. You can view the rock from the comfort of

non-government funded aviation museums in the world;

the bedroom or in the outdoor hot tub or soaking tub on the

and a national historical landmark that is also the oldest in-

edge of the cliff. The private home rental operates as a fivestar resort, and the owners are certified butlers to maintain those standards. Everything you could ever want or need is provided or can be arranged to ensure your stay is perfect.

From a private chef to concierge services that include private helicopter tours, wine tasting, massages, and restaurant reservations, Sun Cliff Sedona (SUNCLIFFSEDONA.COM ) has it all. There is no bad view from Sun Cliff. It doesn’t get any better than this, and that outdoor tub alone will have you booking a return visit before you check out. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 67

68 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

HAVASUPAI WATERFALLS PHOTO BY JOEL GRIMES / WATSON LAKE PHOTO BY BEN OLSEN

HIKE MAGICAL WATERFALLS

DISCOVER A BREATHTAKING LAKE

In the depths of the Grand Canyon lies a place a beauty

Watson Lake (PRESCOTT.COM/WATSON-LAKE ), located

most people don’t know about: Havasupai. The Havasupai

four miles from the city of Prescott, is a stunning bright

people who reside there are known as the “people of the

blue lake surrounded by granite boulders and hiking trails.

blue-green water” and have been maintaining this mythical

The lake features fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing,

place for many years, but they permit visitors to experience its

hiking, rock climbing, camping, and day picnicking. Wat-

magic (WATERFALLSOFTHEGRANDCANYON.COM/HAVASU-FALLS).

son’s water surface is about 380 surface acres and distin-

It’s not easy to obtain a permit to visit, as the waiting list is

guished by its sky-blue calm waters surrounded by huge

lengthy and the hike is not easy. The lush oasis is sacred to

granite boulders with protruding vegetation, which makes

the Havasupai, and they believe it flows not only through the

for epic views (and incredible Instagram photos). The great

land but through each tribal member. A visit to the Havasupai

thing about a visit to Watson Lake is that you can also head

is an unforgettable experience. Guided three- to five-day

to Prescott, a city located within the Ponderosa Pines of

tours are the best way to visit.

Prescott National Forest. The charming city has more than

INDULGE IN A SONORAN DESERT OASIS Peoria, Arizona, is home to a scenic desert oasis, Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Surrounded by the Sonoran Des-

700 homes and businesses listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including Whiskey Row, once known for its many saloons. The national forest has more than 643 kilometers of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails.

ert, it is an outdoor enthusiast’s destination for action and adventure. With more than 23,000 acres of water and beautiful, unblemished desert landscape, Lake Pleasant (MARICOPACOUNTYPARKS.ORG/LAKE-PLEASANT ) is one of the most scenic recreation areas in the Valley. Adventure abounds with opportunities like kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, camping, stargazing, and even scorpion hunting.

Pleasant Harbor Marina is also home to the H2 Whoa, the largest floating water slide in the world. Whether you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city or simply wish to have some fun in the sun, Lake Pleasant is the perfect anytime getaway. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 69

70 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

Grand Canyon 100th // NPS.GOV/GRCA On February 26, 2019, the Grand Canyon celebrated its 100th year as a designated national park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Grand Canyon welcomes 6 million visitors from around the world each year.

Whether it’s hiking a corridor trail, taking a stroll on the rim, or enjoying the landscape from an overlook, Grand Canyon continues to provide a space for all visitors to connect with the outdoors. Throughout 2019, Grand Canyon National Park will commemorate the past and inspire future generations to experience, connect with, and protect the park’s unique natural, cultural, and historic resources.

Queen Mine. By the early 1900s, the Bisbee community was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco.

Today Bisbee has evolved into an attractive artist colony and retirement community known for its relaxed quality of life. People come to Bisbee to savor its unique charm. To stop in Bisbee is to stop in time. Nestled in the mile-high Mule Mountains of southern Arizona, Bisbee has maintained an Old World charm seldom found anywhere in the United States. Bisbee is also estimated to have a very large percentage of LGBTQ residents as evidenced by their annual pride events each June, which helps cement Bisbee as one of the most liberal places to visit in Arizona.

HUNT FOR GOLD

BISBEE PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARIZONA OFFICE OF TOURISM

The famous tales of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine are

EXPERIENCE TWO RESORTS WITH DEEP TIES TO MODERNISM

known throughout the world, with travelers coming to

Hotel Valley Ho (HOTELVALLEYHO.COM ) is a midcentury

seek the legend and experience the mystery. Lost Dutch-

marvel with all the luxuries of a modern-day escape follow-

man State Park (AZSTATEPARKS.COM/LOST-DUTCHMAN ) is

ing an $80 million restoration in 2005. Paying tribute to the

on the Apache Trail, State Route 88, north of Apache Junc-

region’s signature design and storied past as a Hollywood

tion. Highway 88 crosses the northwest portion of the

hideaway, the downtown Scottsdale hotel features gener-

Park, private land is on the south, and the Tonto National

ously sized guest rooms with glass walls opening onto airy

Forest is on the north and east. The park provides views

patios or balconies in Frank Lloyd Wright’s signature style

and access to the most scenic portions of the legendary

of compress-and-release spaces. Located just 5 miles away

Superstition Mountains and maintains facilities to support

in the affluent neighboring city of Paradise Valley is another

the recreational activities. If not in search of gold, visitors

desert icon, Mountain Shadows (MOUNTAINSHADOWS.COM ),

can become entranced with the golden opportunities to

a newly opened upscale boutique resort with roots in 1950s

experience in the beautiful and rugged area known as the

modernism and history. The original property closed in

Superstition Wilderness, accessible by trails from the park.

2004, and a $100 million new-build resort by the acclaimed developers of Hotel Valley Ho opened its doors in April 2017.

VISIT THE STATE’S MOST LIBERAL TOWN

Mountain Shadows features timeless modern design, 183

The town of Bisbee (DISCOVERBISBEE.COM ) is 90 miles

guestrooms, a restaurant with an exhibition kitchen, two

southeast of Tucson and nestled amongst the Mule Moun-

75-foot pools connected by a modern waterfall feature, an

tains. The community was founded in 1880 and named af-

art gallery, and dramatic views of Camelback Mountain and

ter Judge DeWitt Bisbee, a financial backer of the Copper

the surrounding desert beauty. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 71

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SPEC IAL REPORT

Greener Green As the cannabis industry matures, it needs to live up to its sustainability potential.

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

76 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

LONG NOTHING MORE THAN THE PROVINCE OF “STONERS” GETTING HIGH, CANNABIS TODAY IS

part of a healthy, woke, environmental lifestyle.

SEEN AS

Almost two thirds of states have medical cannabis programs of some kind, and more than eight in 10 Americans are in favor of legalizing it for therapeutic purposes. Cannabis compounds like cannabidiol (CBD) are marketed for their health benefits just as THC is for its relaxing and elevating qualities.

People who buy and consume cannabis are more interested than ever in healthier, environmentally sound options, and they’re willing to pay for them. A recent Brightfield Group study found that consumers in all age groups are concerned about consistency and safety when it comes to how pot is grown and processed and whether it’s been tested for quality and impurities, and they’re ready to pay a premium for quality.

But let’s face it. Much cannabis, whether by design or through regulation, is grown indoors, often in retrofitted industrial warehouses, with all the attendant concerns about pests, insects, and mold. It takes a lot of electricity—many grow operations run 24 hours a day—and energy is expensive and a drain on the electrical grid. Even when it was illegal, cannabis growing operations used up one percent of national electricity use. Today the more than 300 grow facilities in Denver alone account for four percent of the city’s total electricity demand.

As for people’s concern about whether or not the cannabis products they’re consuming are organic, it’s nearly impossible to know. Because cannabis is illegal on a federal level, the government hasn’t created nor will it certify any cannabis as organic, as it does with other agricultural products. That leaves it to states and individual testing companies to come up with and maintain quality standards.

Cannabis packaging, much of it originally designed with child resistance as the primary concern, is often excessive and inefficient. Then there’s the water and waste involved in producing cannabis products (a lot of both), all which need to be considered as we become more aware of environmental impacts on health and well-being.

Consumers and company owners alike are coming to grips with the issue. “2019 is the year that people are paying attention,” says Derek Smith of the Resource Innovation Institute, a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit that promotes communication and sustainability amongst all parties in the cannabis industry. “We have the opportunity to be the biggest and best industry, one that stands for more than just selling stuff.” sensimag.com JUNE 2019 77

78 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

What Can You Do? Most cannabis users who are looking for environmentally conscious and safe products have no idea where their cannabis comes from. The variety of products is staggering, and more are added every day. Given the complexities of cannabis production, what can you do to make sure you’re getting environmentally healthy products you can trust?

Everybody I spoke with agreed that education is key. If you’re concerned about what you’re buying, find out more about how the cannabis is grown and which practices they’re using. Which means, ask your budtender or dispensary owner questions. Lots of questions.

“I think consumers need to go in and talk to people and ask them about their practices,” says Emily Backus, sustainability advisor for the city and county of Denver.

“If you’re shopping with vertically integrated companies, that’s easy. But it’s harder otherwise.”

Josh Bareket, founder of BUSHL, a California organization dedicated to clean, sustainable cannabis products, says it comes down to knowing your source. “That doesn’t mean knowing the brand or logo, but actually who is behind the products. Who is the owner? Who is the grower?

What’s the story? What do they use to produce it?”

Adds Franciosi, “You just gotta ask the budtender. What soil was used? What was the medium it was grown in?

Were there chemicals used that will wind up downstream?”

When it comes to packaging, consumers have choices and should make their complaints known every time they go into the store. “Telling them you want better packaging is a big deal,” says Backus. “This is one of the areas where we’ve had a few bright spots. A number of companies have started making compliant packaging cannabis using recycled materials.”

Not everyone has this option, but the best way to make sure you know what you’re getting is to grow your own. That way you’re in control throughout the process. Otherwise, educate yourself. Below are a few websites to help you get started: Resource Renovation Institute // RESOURCEINNOVATION.ORG City and County of Denver Cannabis Sustainability //

Sustainability was far down on the consideration list when states began to legalize. Business owners had to start their operations from scratch, while state regulators had to devise common-sense rules for something that had been illegal for decades. There were no best practices to start from.

“I think there’s lots of room for improvement. But it’s also time for the industry to embrace it,” says Emily Backus, sustainability advisor for the city and county of Denver. “They don’t have this long legacy of bad operators to overcome. They’re consolidating, and there are big-money players, which creates an easier financial path for making investments. I think at this point we see that the only way to go is up.”

Backus works with all sectors of the industry to promote communication and cooperation between business owners, governments, and other affected parties such as electric companies to develop strategies for lowering costs and building sustainable business models.

Lowering electricity costs could be beneficial to everyone, Backus says, but there are many nuances. “It’s tricky to talk about sustainability in this industry because there are so many techniques and styles,” she says. “Hydroponic grows won’t have the same requirements as outdoor grows.”

Lighting is the major factor to consider, even for home growers. Creating an environment that mimics sunlight and the outdoors is daunting, and we’re just beginning to develop practices to do that.

Outdoor cultivation has a lower electricity footprint, and regenerative soil practices can improve carbon footprint because you’re restoring carbon into the soil. “But the reality is that no matter what type of cultivation a farm is employing,” says Smith, “we can all do better.”

To that end, more companies are employing LED (light-emitting diode) lighting for their operations,

BIT.LY/DENVERCANNABIS

Smith says, but the cost has been prohibitive for many

Honest Marijuana Company // HONESTMARIJUANA.COM

smaller growers. Today, more options and financial in-

BUSHL // SHOPBUSHL.COM

centives are available to help lower the upfront costs.

“LED is one of the clear options for improved lowering operating costs,” says Smith. “There are studies that are beginning to show there may be quality benefits.”

RII offers a primer on LED pros and cons on its website as part of its free resources for growers. “If you’re thinking about making the switch, it’s what you need to know before you make that jump,” Smith says.

As part of its commitment to lowering the industry’s footprint, RII has gathered a huge amount of data for farms and grow operations to use. The Cannabis Power Source Tool allows owners to benchmark their companies against others to make decisions about how to cut sensimag.com JUNE 2019 79

80 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

energy usage. “More than 200 farms have given us data

with arthritis or aging hands. I can still remember pur-

that we hold confidentially,” Smith explains. “We provide

chasing two small Tootsie Roll-sized candies wrapped

that benchmark so they can know their strengths and

in foil, then sealed in plastic bags, then sealed a second

weaknesses and get resources to become more efficient.”

time in a tall, plastic, box-like container that could hold

The possibilities seem endless, and more solutions are

fifty of the two items I bought.

coming online all the time. A micro-grid company called

More options are now available. Sana Packaging,

Scale has a system that brings together solar, battery

which specializes in 100 percent hemp-based plastic,

storage, and natural gas generators, potentially cutting

has added reclaimed ocean plastic to its line of stor-

energy costs by up to 35 percent. Another one, GrowX

age containers pre-roll tubes, and vaporizer pens. Soul-

Aeroponics, is designing systems to improve yield while

shine Cannabis, a Renton, Washington, processor, uses

reducing water consumption.

100 percent compostable and biodegradable products.

Another problem is HVAC, or air-conditioning systems, which are critical parts of any operation. Smith

N2 Packaging, based in Twin Falls, Idaho, has created a stainless steel can for cannabis products.

saysgrowers need to be aware in the design stage of

Water resources, especially in California and Colorado,

what they will need. “The most important way to lighten

are scarce, and states have different rules for recycling

“Cannabis produces a lot of recyclables. We’re making sure companies know how to compost and be compliant.”

—Emily Backus, Sustainability Advisor for the City and County of Denver

your electricity load is to size it properly as you’re de-

and composting waste. “We don’t have any ordinances

signing and setting up the facility. Once it’s up and run-

that require businesses to recycle or compost,” says Back-

ning, it’s hard to swap out an HVAC system.”

us. “It’s up to the business owner. Cannabis produces a lot

Backus says that everyone is trying to get away from

of recyclables. We’re making sure companies know how

designing facilities on the fly. “Today there are profes-

to compost and be compliant. It’s an area of opportunity.”

sors and engineers who are finding out how to take tech-

Once cannabis is legalized on a federal level, many of

nology from one thing and tweak it for cannabis.”

States have struggled to come up with packaging that eliminates smell, keeps products fresh, and is child-

these inconsistencies will vanish, clearing the way to let farmers and processors do what they need to do instead of what they are told to do.

proof. Plastic is everywhere, because it’s as useful as it is

Until then, says Smith, “We have the chance for an

destructive to the planet—and is often a requirement to

open playbook for good policy, and there’s a need to

child-proof a product.

share and learn and grow and create an increasingly

Packaging is improving. Early on in Colorado, the joke was that child-proof also meant adult-proof for those

good reputation for the industry. But people will have to work together to make it a reality.” sensimag.com JUNE 2019 81

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sensimag.com JUNE 2019 83

In Colorado, wild animals roam far beyond the Rocky Mountain Range.

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

84 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

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86 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

HERE’S A WILD FACT FOR YOU: YOU CAN BUY A TIGER ONLINE FOR AS LITTLE AS A COUPLE

HUNDRED DOLLARS. HERE’S SOME ADVICE: DON’T DO THAT. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD. YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT.

TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT The Wildlife Sanctuary 2999 Co Rd 53 Keenesburg, CO WILDLIFESANCTUARY.ORG

There are fewer than 4,000 wild tigers left in the world, most of them in Asia. In the US, there are at least 7,000 tigers in captivity—and that’s a conservative estimate.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare puts that number closer to 10,000. The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are as many as 15,000 big cats in private hands in this country; more than 4,000 are in individual hands in Texas alone.

These animals are living in constricted environments—held in public and roadside zoos, kept in cages in backyards and basements, often in squalid, inhumane conditions. Some are made to perform, appearing in advertisements for everything from grocery stores to home furniture outlets. Others are sold to hunting ranches or euthanized when they get too large to be useful.

None of these animals were captured in the wild. They were bred here, born in captivity, and most have never seen the outside of a cage.

This is not a wildlife conservation issue, it’s a captive wildlife crisis. It’s animal cruelty. And there’s a Colora-

It takes three to six hours to see the entire facility, so plan on arriving at least four hours before closing (sunset).

They stop taking visitors two hours before then.

Animals are most active around dusk, especially during the summer.

Adults: $30; children: $15.

No dogs allowed, not even service dogs. No, not even if you leave it in your car. You shouldn’t do that anyway.

Your GPS isn’t guaranteed to guide you there. Use the directions on the website, unless you want to check out some dead-end dirt roads.

Don’t Uber or Lyft out there; drivers may be happy to drop you off but good luck getting one to pick you up.

It gets hot during the summer, but there’s almost always a breeze up on the walkway, so bring layers. As well as hats, sunglasses, sunscreen—the standards.

If you have binoculars, bring them! Otherwise, you can use the free stationary units on walkways and decks, along with the other bino-less visitors.

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 87

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BY

T H E

N U M B E R S

The Wild Animal Sanctuary’s Rescued Residents 70 African Lions 85 Tigers 156 Black Bears 43 Grizzly Bears 20 Wolves 2 Jaguars 12 Mountain Lions 5 Leopards 1 Camel 4 Coatimundis

9 Bobcats 9 Lynx 12 Coyotes 14 Foxes 2 Porcupines 1 Raccoon 3 Ostriches 2 Emus 51 Alpacas 6 Horses

9,684-acre property in Southern Colorado. Farther north, about 30 miles northeast of Denver, is the 789-acre educational facility, open to the public—and worth visiting time and again. Here, more than 450 lions, tigers, bears, wolves, foxes, leopards, jaguars, mountain lions, and other exotic animals live on rolling grasslands and former wheat fields offering majestic views of Colorado’s Front Range.

The first thing that happens when you arrive at the Wild Animal Sanctuary, about an hour from of Denver, two hours from Colorado Springs, is that you are met at the door by about 15 of the friendliest dogs in the world of all sizes, from large Irish wolfhounds to cuddly French bulldogs.

I was there to speak with founder Pat Craig, but he was busy when I arrived and I was told that it would be a bit.

Looking around, I noticed Craig down on the floor working on one of the exhibits. That’s not surprising, since Craig and the Sanctuary are practically one and the

do organization dedicated to giving these abused tigers,

same. He’s one of the premier rescuers of wild animals

and lions, and bears (oh my!), alpacas, leopards, wolves,

in the world, and the sanctuary is the stuff of his dreams.

lynx, and other animals lives of dignity. Giving large, ex-

A few minutes later, Craig sits down in the snack bar,

otic, and endangered captives rescued from around the

followed by several of his friendly canine crew. He talks

world a wild sanctuary where they can live out their lives

about growing up in Boulder and a love affair with ani-

in peace—literally a retirement home for abused animals.

mals that began at an early age. He couldn’t afford to go

That appropriately named organization: The Wild Animal

to veterinarian school, so he figured he’d get a business

Sanctuary.

degree and live on a farm where he could enjoy a few

The nonprofit organization operates two sites in Colo-

animals. Little did he know.

rado, with more than 10,000 acres of land providing shelter for more than 500 large carnivores. The majority of the land is the recently purchased Refuge facility, a private

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 89

90 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

His world was rocked forever in 1979, when he visit-

to kill these animals, either.”

ed a friend who had gotten a job as a groundskeeper in

The response was so intense that he wondered wheth-

a North Carolina zoo. “He gave me a behind-the-scenes

er he was getting in over his head. “But after about two

tour,” he explains. “In the back they had a ton of lions, ti-

weeks, the phone started ringing, and there were keep-

gers, bears, and stuff, in really cruddy little cages.” When

ers who had gotten my letter and said, ‘Hey, I don’t want

he asked, he was told that for whatever reasons, there

to kill this animal or this animal or this animal.’ So I

were too many to put on display, and the rest were kept

started driving all over the country, picking up animals

in cages out of sight of the public.

from zoos and bringing them back.”

That really bothered Craig. He got in touch with the

The first 12 cages were occupied quickly. He dropped

Denver Zoo and found out that it had more animals than

out of school, started building more structures, and got a

it knew what to do with as well, and that some were eu-

second, part-time job to help pay for the new infrastruc-

thanized. When he asked what would it take to stop this,

ture. He began getting calls from sheriffs and local law

he was told he’d have to build his own zoo. Craig couldn’t

enforcement about tigers found in a house or apartment

do that, but he did have room on his farm, and after some

or garage. “So they told me, ‘If you want to take it, great,

research, found that if he built enclosures that met zoo

but otherwise I’ll shoot it tomorrow.’” So he’d jump in the

standards, he could save the animals. “Back then we

truck to pick them up.

called it the conservation center because nobody was using the word sanctuary back then.”

He moved his “zoo” to a location with more space near Lyons, Colorado, for eight years. Volunteers were donat-

He put up some buildings on the farm, passed inspec-

ing time to help out, but there was always more to do. “I

tions, and was licensed, in essence becoming the young-

typically would work until seven or eight at night and

est zookeeper in the country. He petitioned to change

then go home and clean till one or two in the morning

laws about captive animals to allow them more space.

and feed the animals and then go get a few hours of

“Initially I didn’t know what I was getting into,” he ad-

sleep, go back to work and do that again. I always tell

mits. “But I got the zoning changed and applied for a

people that it’s like having kids—once you get them,

nonprofit and did all that stuff you’re supposed to do.”

you’re on the hook for the rest of their lives.”

He immediately sent out letters to every zoo in the

The sanctuary relocated again to its present location in

country offering to take surplus animals off their hands.

1994. “When we moved out here, the main goal was to get

The reaction was overwhelming. “The first month I got

a lot more space for habitats, because in the early years all

over 300 responses saying they were interested in the

the laws and regulations said you needed a concrete floor,

idea rather than euthanizing. Those people didn’t want

chain-link walls or bars or a steel top and a pretty sterile

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environment. I was like, ‘Well this kind of sucks. I’m saving a life, but I’m not really giving any kind of quality of life.’”

ing to put animals on a more equal footing with humans.

Craig mentions a website that says animals should be

Watching their behavior helped him better understand

here with us, not for us. He’s not sure we’ll ever get to a

the kinds of habitats they needed. “When they come here,

place where we don’t have zoos or sanctuaries, so that

they go into a normal cage—because that was their life

concept is key to the future. “You know, our goal is that we

before. And then we kind of let them out into a little big-

all go out of business, and animals are just in the wild. But

ger space until they finally go, ‘OK, I’m cool. I realize no-

unfortunately every animal out there is going to go extinct

body else here is going to hurt me.’ And then they have

other than tiny managed groups that are theoretically

to start building muscles and learning motor skills. A lot

wild, but are just basically habitats that are still fenced. It’s

of them have never touched grass before in their lives.”

already happening in Africa and in many parts of India.

Craig says that one of the sanctuary’s goals is to help

The future is that these animals are going to live in these

people better understand animal intelligence. “Animals

managed spaces and we’ll call it the wild, but it’s relative.”

are incredibly smart,” he says. “And obviously, they’re

Meanwhile, Craig is always looking for ways to make

not people where they do math and computation, but a

his animals’ lives better. “We never feel like, ‘Oh yeah,

lot of that is just relative.”

we’re doing it right.’ We constantly beat ourselves up

One of the first cats Craig rescued was a jaguar. “The jaguar is the smartest cat there is, far smarter than a tiger or lion, and they’re incredibly intelligent,” he says. “This jaguar could open a house door, a car door, and it opened the refrigerator I kept her food in. It’s that level of intelligence

saying, ‘You know, what can we do better?’ You’re just constantly pushing yourself to do more for them.”

A New Perspective

An elevated walkway—in fact, the longest pedestri-

to where you can’t say they’re human, but they’re pretty

an bridge in the world, a certified Guinness World Re-

danged close. I think most people way underestimate the

cord holder at 1.5 miles long—lets visitors stroll 30 feet

intelligence of these large, exotic cats and bears.”

above the complex’s expansive pens and habitats. The

Attitudes are slowly changing about animals and how

pedestrian bridge is based on one of the things Craig has

they are treated. A recent study, “America’s Wildlife Val-

learned about animals over the years. While animals are

ues,” conducted by Colorado, Ohio, and Minnesota state

intensely protective of their immediate area, they could

universities, says that more people than ever are even will-

care less about something above and beyond them.

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For those who can no longer tolerate zoos or seeing

$200 apiece for selfies with the cubs paddling around.

animals caged in small enclosures, walking through the

Online videos of individual owners “playing” with their

sanctuary is a real breath of fresh air, an opportunity to

cats proliferate on the web, with one owner even ad-

watch content animals, not ones pacing back and forth

mitting he is super careful about never giving them a

at the limits of their boundaries as you see in zoos.

chance to get at his vitals. (WTF.)

Craig has been rescuing animals for 40 years, from

No federal agency tracks big cats, who owns them,

zoos, circuses, and backyards. The Sanctuary is celebrat-

how they are bred, and where they wind up. Backyard

ing 25 years at its present location near the town of Hud-

breeders, essentially tiger mills, produce for unusual

son. There are a few others scattered across the country,

colors and markings and even cross-breed tigers and li-

says Kent Drotar, the sanctuary’s director of communica-

ons into tigons and ligers. Females, who are very protec-

tions. “But there’s no other place that has large acreage

tive of their young and breed every only three years in

habitats like us—no other place with a walkway.”

the wild to care for their offspring, have their cubs tak-

Wild Stats

en away soon after birth and then forced to breed again, some as often as three times a year.

The proliferation of captive wild animals in the US is a

“The vast majority of tigers in the US come from the

fairly recent phenomenon. According to Tigers in Amer-

irresponsible captive breeding to supply the cub petting

ica, a nonprofit which supports rescue operations for

industry,” Ben Callison, a former animal sanctuary direc-

confined and abused cats, there were 100,000 tigers in

tor, told The Guardian. “Tigers are smuggled in, but this

the wild and only 50 in the US held by exhibitors in 1900.

is mostly a US-born issue.”

While tigers in the wild have rapidly diminished, that second number increased as zoos became popular in the early 20th century. By the 1970s, tigers and other big cats

A Growing Issue

The Wildlife Sanctuary is close to running out of

became fixtures in Las Vegas lounge acts and on televi-

space. “We’ve pretty much developed this whole area.

sion, and individual people were purchasing their own

It’s all built out in habitats,” says Drotar. “Not every one is

exotic “pets,” or worse, buying them to breed even more.

completely full yet, but effectively, there’s no more hab-

At a sanctuary in Florida, tiger cubs are thrown in a swimming pool to fend for themselves while people pay

itat space to build, and that’s what prompted us a little over a year ago to be looking for more acreage.”

He points to a newly completed $80,000 habitat that now houses half a dozen foxes. “This is all former wheat fields. It’s as flat as can be,” he explains. “Effectively, when we build habitats, we have to put every single tree in, dig every water hole and bring the boulders in to

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96 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

make it more comfortable for the animals.”

The sanctuary also found itself essentially boxed in as well, with little land left to purchase and all of it at ex-

the male lion, and Tasha, a female Siberian tiger, are now recovering at the refuge, learning to socialize with other tigers and adapting to the colder climate.

orbitant prices. “So we thought that if we’re going to go

“She’s a Pacific Island girl, so she didn’t really like our

farther, let’s get land that already has these natural ame-

winter weather,” Drotar laughs. “She didn’t like getting

nities in place,” Drotar says. They looked at a secluded—

her feet in the snow. We have hot-water heat that we use

ultimately, too remote—30,000-acre plot in Oregon, before

for the leopards. We added some extra heat lights and

deciding on the 9,000-acre site in the southeast corner

stuff, and she loved it.”

of Colorado, 40 miles from the small town of Springfield.

That’s just one of the joys of being part of what is a re-

I know what you’re thinking. Southeast Colorado is as

tirement home for mistreated animals, many who suffer

flat as the High Plains northeast of Denver, right? Nope.

the same ailments, like arthritis and mobility issues, as

This region drops off from the prairie into canyons of

we do as we age. “I always say that as animals get old-

grassland with natural rock outcroppings. Even better,

er, you know, they’d rather have their studio apartment

land is about one quarter the cost of Front Range wheat

than a 3,000-square foot house with stairs,” Drotar says.

fields. “They call it Canyonlands,” he says. “It has these

“It’s just easier to get around.”

meadows in between these big rock formations.”

Among the first things to do was getting local ranchers and dwellers to buy into the concept of sharing space with big cats. “That was a big concern among local people,” Drotar admits. “The rumor was that we’re just going to fence the 9,000 acres, turn loose a bunch of wild cats and hope for the best.”

Two information sessions were held in Springfield that allowed people to voice any apprehensions and to let Craig explain what we have learned about the difference between wild and caged animals. “Some of these people might live 12 miles away, and you almost get the sense that they think that tiger is going to escape and go straight to their front door and wait for them—and slaughter every cow between here and there.”

But captive animals were born and have always been behind a fence, Drotar says, which makes for a unique worldview. “A wild-born animal is going to try to get out.

But our animals see a fence as an asset—what feels like home and what feels safe—and because it keeps those bad guys out—the bad guys being the other lions and tigers.”

No animal has ever escaped the sanctuary, and today, Drotar says that, like the farmers that surround the Sanctuary, local residents have now bought into the idea. It will take years to build out the habitat. The first 35-acre portion is almost finished, and plans are to proceed cautiously to make sure no native animals or wildlife might be harmed by fencing or other human intrusion.

Craig has rescued big cats from circuses and zoos around the world. After Bolivia passed a law banning circuses in 2011, 25 lions that would have been sold were rescued and brought to Colorado. Most recently, in December, the sanctuary and the disaster charity Samaritan’s Purse saved a lion and a tiger left in a roadside zoo on the Pacific Ocean island of Saipan after a typhoon ravaged the area. Lambert, sensimag.com JUNE 2019 97

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100 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

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If it seems like everyone is listening to podcasts (or thinking about starting one), it’s because they are. After languishing for two decades, the medium is having its moment.

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

CASTING SINCE RACHEL KENNERLY, A CPA IN LUFKIN, TEXAS,

DISCOVERED PODCASTS THREE

YEARS AGO, THEY’VE BECOME HER MAINSTAY WHEN SHE DOES MINDLESS TASKS HER JOB REQUIRES LIKE DATA ENTRY. NOT A FAN OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND DISGRUNTLED BY HER POLITICAL “CHOICES,” KENNERLY GETS HER NEWS FROM PODCASTERS LIKE LIBERTARIANS TOM WOODS AND JASON STAPLETON. A stark contrast to to the nightly news broadcasts her

outlawed until a few years ago, when a close acquaintance

parents watch as religiously as they attend church, the

moved to Colorado so she could legally treat her son’s sei-

podcasts expose Kennerly to ideas and viewpoints worlds

zures with CBD oil (after a local doctor threatened to turn

away from what she can find on the TV dial in East Texas.

her in to child-protective services if he discovered she had

Programmed by D.A.R.E., Kennerly—along with pretty

tried CBD). As Kennerly’s mind was further opened by the

much everyone else in her conservative Christian com-

liberty-based podcasts she listens to, she began to see the

munity—believed cannabis was evil and deserved to be

injustice of prohibiting a plant that could benefit so many.

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sensimag.com JUNE 2019 103

SO, YOU WANNA START A PODCAST… There’s no shortage of courses out there to help you get started and be successful. Before you bother with any of them, make sure you can answer the question, “This is the only podcast that…”

A little advice from the experts: • Keep it short, valuable, and consistent.

• Include interactive content such as games or lessons.

• Tell stories.

• Stick to a theme rather than letting conversation wander.

• Create at least five episodes before uploading the first one. Post at least three for your debut.

thing about the podcast world is that I can just kind of get out there and say whatever I want,” she says. “I could never get on the radio in Lufkin, Texas, and talk about cannabis and how we should decriminalize it. I don’t know any other forum I could get on in East Texas and talk about the subjects I talk about and not get run out on a rail.”

THE POWER OF THE PODCAST A mishmash of iPod and broadcasting, the term describes digital audio files that can be downloaded and listened to on a computer or digital device. Podcasting has been around since 2001, when the iPod was introduced. It began as a way for individuals to get out their message and build community within their niche, and it has evolved to encompass high-production, wide-reaching shows by TV and radio networks, podcast networks such as Gimlet Media (now owned

by Spotify), comedians, churches, even the FBI—all bringing in more than $700 million in advertising revenue annually.

Last year, she quit her day job to start an accounting and compliance firm for cannabis businesses and set out to learn as much as she could as quickly as she could about a substance she had vilified but never actually encountered.

“When I was growing up, they told me all these people would be offering me drugs, and they were just way off,” she jokes.

“All those years they told us to just say no, and I never got to.”

Kennerly wanted to learn more about cannabis, and she couldn’t rely on her inner circle for anything other than propaganda. “What better way to do that than with a podcast, where I can actually speak with people affected by cannabis and then share their stories with other people?” she says.

She launched “Cannabis Heals Me,” a podcast that tells the stories of patients who have healed everything from lupus to Hashimoto’s disease with cannabis, last October.

The podcast focuses on stories because “you don’t change people’s minds by citing them a bunch of statistics,” she says. About 100 people—most of them in Texas but a few from as far away as South Korea—download the podcast every Monday. Recently, Kennerly added a Thursday podcast featuring experts who give the stories context.

Kennerly says her podcast’s message is counter-intuitive to her Christian family and friends (though she does have to question, “what part of the Bible does Jesus talk about putting people in a cage over a plant?”).

She knows they don’t agree with her stance, but she hopes they’re tuning in. “The nice

The technology is destined to emerge as a player in the 2020 election, as media-savvy candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Andrew Yang take to the podcast circuit. “Podcasts are really hot right now, and I think underappreciated,” Lis Smith, Buttigieg’s communications adviser, told CNN. The first podcast that garnered any mainstream attention, former MTV VJ Adam Curry’s “Daily Source Code,” debuted in 2004 (the year Apple began supporting podcast technology with iTunes 4.9) and attracted more than half a million subscribers. But podcasting was a fringe media populated mainly by niche-minded extremists until National Public Radio broke the two-guys-talking mold dominating the medium (think: “Joe Rogan Experience” without Joe’s charisma) with “Serial,” a true-crime series about a murder investigation, in 2014. The show ran for three seasons and has been downloaded anywhere from 175 million to 420 million times, depending on which source you believe. Whatever the number, “Serial” had a lot of people addicted, and the buzz opened a lot of eyes to the possibilities of podcasts. NPR now keeps more than 40 of them active, reaching over 16 million people.

“I believe 2019 is a time for hockey stick growth and diversification of the audience and the offering,” Courtney William Holt, head of global studios for Spotify, which began offering podcasts last year and now captures more than a quarter of all listeners, told Medium. The 2020 election will be no small contributor to that growth, added Dane Cardiel of podcast host and distribution company Simplecast, as more candidates launch podcasts “to earn trust and win over voters in crowded primary races.” Podcast listeners— generally educated and leaning liberal—are just the kind of voters Democratic contenders are looking to reach.

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sensimag.com JUNE 2019 105

There are now more than 700,000 podcast shows in more than 100 languages out there, according to Podcast Insights.

(Comedy is the most popular genre, followed by education and news.) Fifty-one percent of Americans have listened to a podcast, and one in three listen to at least one every month. (Edison Research found that 40 percent of people between ages 12 and 24 identified as monthly podcast listeners, and baby boomers have been slower to adapt to the new medium. In 2019, 17 percent of people 55 and older listened to a podcast every month.) This year for the first time, on-demand audio streaming accounts for the majority of total audio consumption, according to Adweek. “I think we hit a tipping point,” Tom Webster, senior vice president for Edison Research, told the New York Times.

Consumers looking for curated, searchable podcast content have no shortage of options. Earlier this year, Luminary launched a podcast subscription service it calls “Netflix for podcasts,” featuring exclusive shows from A-listers like Lena Dunham and Trevor Noah. Luminary caught everybody’s attention when it took in $100 million in funding, but it doesn’t have an easy road ahead in a market already dominated by Spotify and the leading podcatcher, Apple Podcasts, which is included on all iOS devices. Industry titans including Google, Pandora, and iHeartRadio have entered the market, alongside scrappy new companies like Wondery, a podcast publisher known for emotionally immersive podcasts, and Stitcher, which bills itself as the easiest way to listen to podcasts on your iPhone, iPad, Android, PC, or smart speaker.

Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn predicts better curation and discovery, a more reliable listener experience, and better support will bring exponentially more listeners this year.

Chances are, we’ll see a lot more podcasters like Kennerly as well. Why not, when you can get started with absolutely no experience and a shoestring budget? Initially, Kennerly used a free app from Anchor.FM (now owned by Stitcher) to record her podcast and a free program from Audacity to edit it. A couple months later, she bought herself an Audio Tecnica mic for Christmas and upgraded to Hindenburg editing software, both of which have improved her podcast’s quality—but she’s quick to point out it can be done without them.

“I spend far more time working on the podcast than I should,” Kennerly admits, but there’s no question it’s a labor of love that she believes is well worth it. Podcasting is the foundation of her quest “to do my tiny part to convert people once like me into people who believe the federal government has no right to tell us what we can and can’t put into our bodies.”

Her advice to anyone considering a similar quest (no matter what the topic)? “Stop talking about it and go do it.”

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE, author of The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis, secretly wants to be the Joe Rogan of cannabis.

106 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

12 GREAT PODCASTS FOR SUMMER LISTENING Adam Dunn Show // A cannabis legend and friends dish about 25 years in the industry.

Against the Rules with Michael Lewis // Journalist and bestselling author looks at what’s happened to fairness “in a world where everyone loves to hate the referee.”

Brave New Weed // Conversations with the healers, politicians, scientists, and “troublemakers of all sorts” who have contributed to cannabis liberation.

Broken Record with Malcolm Gladwell, Rick Rubin, and Bruce Headlam // Longform conversation about music “for a world without liner notes.”

Getting Doug with High // Doug Benson of “Super High Me” fame partakes and talks with guests.

Great Moments in Weed History // Abdullah Saeed and David Bienenstock delve into humanity’s long relationship with cannabis.

I’m Too Effing High // Stoned comedians take on challenges and play games.

Jalen & Jacoby // Jalen Rose and David Jacoby break down sports and pop culture.

The Jimmy Dore Show // “The Marijuana-Logues” writer discusses his raw takes on the news with top comedians and comedy writers.

The Joe Rogan Experience // The granddaddy of them all, JRE has been around for nearly a decade, and Rogan has been called “the Walter Cronkite of our era.”

Ron Burgundy Podcast // Will Ferrell reprises everyone’s favorite role, conducting interviews that “have a tendency to go off the rails, and we find out things about people we never knew we wanted to know.”

WTF with Marc Maron // The comedian’s conversations with icons such as Robin Williams, Keith Richards, and President Barack Obama have garnered more than 250 million downloads.

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 107

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Download the Gofire App to scan the DoseCode on your Evolve products. sensimag.com JUNE 2019 109

SO BOULDERADO The landmark hotel in downtown Boulder has played a big role in the city’s history for more than 110 years. That’s just one reason to check it out this summer. by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N

110 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

IN THE PAST DECADE, DENVER GREW BY A BOULDER. SINCE 2010, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MOVED TO DENVER (ABOUT 103,000) IS ALMOST EQUAL

TO THE POPULATION OF BOULDER (ABOUT 107,000), ACCORDING TO THE LATEST US CENSUS BUREAU ESTIMATES. THE RESULT: CRAZY TRAFFIC, SKYROCKETING RENTS, AND DEVELOPMENT ANGST GALORE ARE THE NORM IN THE MILE HIGH, PROMPTING THE CITY TO CREATE A SERIES OF PLANS TO GUIDE ITS DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 111

112 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

Boulder, on the other hand, has been about strategic

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

growth from the literal start. Since before Colorado was

The city officials had realized that one thing was

Colorado. In 1858, gold prospectors settled in what’s now

missing from Boulder’s many draws: an upscale hotel

known as Settler’s Park. A year later, a settler named

catering to the discerning travelers the area attracted.

A.A. Brookfield organized Boulder City Town Company,

So they made a plan, joined forces with some locals, and

and Boulder City was born, with Brookfield as its first

formed the Boulder Hotel Company to build something

president. He and 60 shareholders divvied up 1,280 acres

spectacular that would do the city justice.

of land along the Boulder Creek, keeping 18 lots each and putting the remaining lots up for sale for $1,000 a pop—a

The result: Hotel Boulderado. It’s been doing the city justice since 1909.

big ask in 1859. (Boulder real estate: unaffordable from

If you’ve spent any time in downtown Boulder, you’ve

day one.) The high-priced real estate kept growth slow,

seen the Boulderado. It’s that striking five-story brick and

steady, and controllable.

sandstone landmark building where 13th Street meets

Soon enough, Boulder was an incorporated town,

Spruce, a few blocks off the Pearl Street Mall. If you’ve

home to the state university. There were dog control and

never stepped foot inside, that’s gotta change. There are

tree planting initiatives in place, established high-end

a bunch of reasons visiting the Boulderado should be on

neighborhoods, a banking system, and additional de-

the to-do list this summer, no matter what drives you.

velopment projects. Electricity came next, then the rail-

If history is your thing, then…well, you’ve probably al-

road, which brought a new level of sophistication to the

ready been there. It’s on the National Register of Historic

town. The final piece of the puzzle arrived with Chautau-

Places and is a City of Boulder Landmark. It’s also stun-

qua, a beautiful retreat at the base of the stunning Flat

ningly designed and meticulously maintained. While an

Irons that served as a hub for culture, music, education,

extensive renovation gave the property a facelift a few

nature, family, and religion—and established Boulder as

years ago, stepping into the lobby is meant to evoke feel-

a destination for tourism.

ings of entering a bygone era. It’s “Boulder before athlei-

By the turn of the 20th century, Boulder was a small

sure and cold-pressed juices,” according to the Washing-

and sophisticated city with a thriving educational in-

ton Post. You can picture Louis Armstrong, Robert Frost,

stitution, cultural attractions, insanely abundant natu-

and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. strolling through the lobby.

ral beauty, and accessibility by train. The “Athens of the

(That’s because they did.)

West,” some people called it. With all this in place, it became clear: Boulder was ready for its next chapter.

In summer 2017, the property debuted an updated lobby and mezzanine, infusing contemporary decor and a sensimag.com JUNE 2019 113

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revamped layout to “encourage conversation,” according to Boulderado marketing manager Amber Winston.

hotel still looks like that, just with less horse and buggies.”

There are period furniture pieces, luggage from a time

Crowning the atrium is a striking stained-glass ceil-

when travelers arrived by train, and framed displays of evolv-

ing originally constructed with cathedral glass imported

ing fashions. It’s a mini history museum, as are the rooms in

from Italy. The curved cherrywood staircase connecting

the historic wing—shrines to Victorian opulence, equipped

the lower level to the fifth floor leads to a balcony over-

with modern amenities. (In total, the Boulderado offers 160

looking the lobby floor’s 100-year-old mosaics. There are

rooms and suites in its historic and contemporary sections,

exhibits detailing the property’s history tucked through-

featuring either Victorian or “Modern Mountain” decor.)

out the building, and the self-guided tour of the third

But the historic highlight is hands down the elevator.

floor historic wing is award-winning.

Yes, the elevator. “The Otis elevator is a 1906 edition—

Photos from throughout the last century give snap-

one of five still working in the country,” shares Winston

shots of moments in history. There’s a black-and-white

during my tour of the historic highlights this spring. “It’s

photo of firemen in uniform. “The fire department loves

one of five still working in the country. Otis technicians

us,” Winston explains. “We’ve always kept a great rela-

actually come out to train with us. We do regular mainte-

tionship with the firemen. And they’d dress up in their

nance on it, of course, but it does have to be manned. It’s

finest blues and do photo shoots in front of the hotel, be-

our only working elevator in our historic section. When

cause it’s such a beautiful building.”

the hotel was being constructed, the elevator shaft was

Another of the hotel decorated with patriotic fanfare:

built first and the hotel was built around it.”

“This is the 4th of July parade in the early 1900s—1913,

Ring the bell to summon it, and ask the attendant to take

around there,” she says. “One thing that I think is really cool

you to the underground speakeasy, License No. 1—so named

is we still use similar decorations for the 4th of July, so the

because it still holds the first liquor license granted by Boulsensimag.com JUNE 2019 115

116 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

der when the city finally ended alcohol prohibition in 1967.

cal ingredients shine in dishes of nostalgic classics with

“This space was originally used as storage,” says Win-

modern twists. Think: deviled eggs with roasted tomato,

ston. “When our new/current owners bought the proper-

Sriracha, and crispy pork belly, and peach glazed lamb

ty, they decided it would be great space for a restaurant.

ribs with bacon studded sweet potato salad. Pan-seared

They tried a few different concepts, and then it became

scallops with cauliflower couscous, apple bay syrup, and

Catacombs Night Club, a college bar where the floors

scallion oil. You get the picture.

were kinda sticky.”

And then you get dessert. Maybe two: the crème brûlée

It needed a rebrand. License No. 1 is a more upscale es-

with fresh berries and the key lime pie are both to-die.

tablishment, a decidedly better fit for the hotel upstairs.

Or just plan on coming back again. The restaurant hosts

Patrons can also enter from a door on 13th Street.

Wine Club tastings the second Wednesday of every

The music: “A perfect fit of vintage with a modern

month. Led by representatives from a winery, the event

twist.” The drinks: classic cocktails from the Prohibi-

features four wines paired with appetizers and tasters

tion era as well as modern favorites. There are two bars,

from Chef Payne. If you attend a tasting, you’re auto-

multiple seating areas, and a dance floor, live music four

matically part of the Wine Club—and being a member

nights a week, comedy once a month, and decor that’s

comes with benefits: 20 percent off dinner the night of

right in line with the theme. Winston says some peo-

the tasting, 40 percent off all wines by the bottle (Sun-

ple assume that the hotel was slinging illegal cocktails

day to Thursday only), 10 percent off wine by the glass,

down here in secret.

and 10 percent off dinner. The more tastings you attend,

“We did not have a secret speakeasy down here during

the bigger the perk. On your fourth one: free appetizer.

Prohibition,” she clarifies. “Prohibition lasted in Boulder

On your eighth: free bottle of wine. Being rewarded for

for a very long time.”

drinking wine with more wine: yes, please.

Along with License No. 1, the hotel has three other op-

Speaking of wine and more wine, Boxcar Coffee Bar has

tions for food and bev: the Corner Bar (opt for the patio,

a great happy hour, with Spruce’s full menu available at

order the spicy smoked wings, wash them down with

the bar. Or take your cocktail to the lobby, settle down in a

a local ale), Boxcar Coffee Bar, and Spruce Farm & Fish,

chair in one of the seating areas beneath the stained glass

Boulderado’s signature restaurant.

ceiling, drink in the eclectic, ornate details all around

It’s led by chef John Payne, who came up working un-

while you languish the evening away in a timeless space.

der some of the finest James Beard honored chefs from

That’s the route Winston suggests. “We worked hard to

San Francisco to Seattle. His approach lets the fresh, lo-

preserve our history, and it shows.” sensimag.com JUNE 2019 117

Wholesale Handled.

Serving Medical and Recreational Flower, Trim, and Concentrates

www.yoursourceco.com

118 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

720.370.3590

info@yoursourceco.com

Premium Cartridges Available in Full or Half Grams

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 119

120 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

NATTY REMS

Focusing on Quality, Not Quantity NATTY REMS KNEW THERE WAS ONLY ONE WAY TO GUARANTEE THE BEST PRODUCT.

It was in 2009 when a popular, family-owned and op-

complicated crystallization process much like Live Sugar,

erated dispensary called Natural Remedies first opened

but with a few key differences that allow for much larger

its doors in Denver, and quickly became known for sell-

and more potent THCA crystal formations, and more fla-

ing, exclusively, its own in-house-grown flower. Custom-

vor-packed, terpene-rich sauce excretion.

ers quickly began calling the facility “Natty Rems,” and the nickname stuck.

One of Natty Rem’s most exciting products, originally launched in 2017 under the Concentrate Remedies

Starting in 2015, the dispensary began making and

brand but relaunched this year, is its live resin vape pen.

selling concentrates crafted from its own flower, then

“This product is unlike any other live resin vape pen out

decided to step out of the retail and into the wholesale

there,” Meyers says. “It’s crafted with 100-percent-pure

market in the fall of 2018 as Natty Rems. Today, the com-

liquid live resin derived from our in-house cannabis—and

pany makes all of its concentrates from its own flower.

no cutting agents. That’s a result of us being able to con-

“We are 100 percent an in-house production facility,” Caitlin Meyers, director of operations for Natty Rems,

trol every aspect of it and make sure the product is as pure as we want it to be.”

says. “We wanted to maintain that quality control, so we

Meyers says that customers fall into a range of differ-

are not focused on quantity but quality in our cannabis

ent age groups, and employees feel like it is part of their

cultivation, and controlling all aspects of it.”

job to educate newcomers—especially since the concen-

In 2015, Natty Rems launched an in-house extraction company, Concentrate Remedies, and began making,

trates tend to be fairly strong and are geared to the experienced consumer.

packaging and distributing all products under the CRx

Natty Rems products are now available in about 180

brand, Meyers says. Today, Natty Rems makes and sells

dispensaries in Denver, Breckenridge, Colorado Springs,

a whole concentrate line, including cured budder, live

Pueblo, Greeley, Boulder, and around the state.

budder, live sugar, and shatter from its 25,000-squarefoot facility that employs about 30 people.

The company deems Live Diamonds “the most specialized and gourmet” product it makes—created through a

For more information, visit:

NATTYREMS.COM

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 121

Fire In, Fire Out

Don't Forget About Dad, He Likes Chocolate Too!!! www.NewtBrothers.com

122 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

303.667.1024

@newt_brothers_artisanal

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 123

124 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

POTGUIDE

Who, What, Where, How Much and What Kind?

POTGUIDE GIVES CANNABIS CONSUMERS THE TOOLS THEY NEED BEFORE THEY ENTER A DISPENSARY.

While cannabis might not be new to everyone, the

month. “The demographics are all over the place,” he

legal recreational cannabis market is new to all of us.

says. “Over a third of our visitors are over the age of 40.

As a result, many consumers are now navigating the

That is a huge growth segment. We are also seeing a

maze of legalized cannabis with minimal resources

large increase in users over the age of 55.”

and knowledge.

What PotGuide does is about exploring and educat-

PotGuide—a consumer resource for the cannabis

ing, he says. It lists all retail shops in every state, wheth-

industry—was created in 2013 to help solve this di-

er PotGuide works with them or not. Their competitors

lemma. “I realized at the time that there was really no

don’t do that—they don’t show all the options, for ex-

good information for these visitors about what to ex-

ample—and that is why PotGuide expects to become

pect when sales began in Colorado, like what the laws

the go-to consumer-centric website. “What we are re-

are, where they can go to get it, and what they can do

ally trying to do is educate and connect consumers

when they are out here,” Jeremy Bamford, founder of

with the most relevant service providers, businesses,

PotGuide, says. “I wanted to provide a useful resource,

and products for their needs.”

give them an insider perspective on the cannabis culture here, and break down the legal regulations in easy-to-digest chunks.”

The company had a huge growth year in 2014,

For more information, visit:

POTGUIDE.COM

prompting Bamford to quit his job to concentrate on building the business full time. The timing was perfect as PotGuide was accepted into the inaugural class of CanopyBoulder, a cannabis accelerator program, alongside companies such as BDS Analytics and Stashlogix. During this time, PotGuide expanded its reach into Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.

The site has continued to evolve over time, and today offers directories and content that appeal to both tourists and locals alike. “While our roots are in canna-tourism, we have a strong local presence as well.” says Bamford. PotGuide is currently working in 20 states and in Canada, run by a staff of seven full-time people from its Denver base. Plans include expanding to Jamaica and Europe.

Bamford says that the site has grown organically over the last five years to about two million visitors a sensimag.com JUNE 2019 125

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THC: 77.56%

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126 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

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CBN: 0.55%

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128 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

GIVING TREE

Giving People More of What They Want A POPULAR DISPENSARY ADDS A LINE OF NATURAL, REAL FRUIT EDIBLES.

Cannabusiness owner Adam Curtis is known as a re-

a recreational cannabis product now, but Curtis says he

ally laid-back guy running the Giving Tree, one of the

will soon be offering it on the medical side and in CBD

most popular dispensaries in Denver.

options as well.

The small-but-mighty 900-square-foot, family-run dis-

The cannabis for the brand is grown and hand-

pensary next door to a liquor store, opened as a med-

trimmed by The Giving Tree dispensary, processed by

ical cannabis facility and now offers both medical and

an outside company, then returned for manufacturing

recreational, with more than 400 unique products, in-

in their commercial kitchen.

cluding many edible varieties (touted as Denver’s larg-

With a decade in the industry behind him, he has

est selection) along with flower, concentrates, lotions/

seen the steady growth of edibles and understands

salves, tinctures, bath salts, and more.

what customers want. “I truly feel that people who have

Curtis has taken his 10 years of cannabis experience and love for edibles and applied it to an all-new edible

respiratory issues or concerns want edibles for better and more discrete consumption,” he says.

product that he is very excited about.

That is the Forbidden Fruit brand, established in 2018. “It provides the market with a healthy, nutritious alternative to the usual edibles,” Curtis says. “We are America’s first real fruit edible, made using high-qual-

For more information, visit:

TGTREE.COM EATFORBIDDENFRUIT.COM

ity distillate. Using real fruit creates added benefits for the consumer with vitamins and natural antioxidants.”

Curtis says that Forbidden Fruit is really the alternative to the sugar gummy. “The product we offer is gluten-free, non-GMO, made with real fruit slices, and carries much more added benefits than regular edibles.”

Each package of the 100-mg, THC-infused

Forbidden

Fruit

is

hand-infused piece by piece, with a manufacturing process that provides a clean flavor every dose. “You don’t taste the cannabis at all,” he says.

Current

flavors

include

cinna-

mon-apple wedges, mango slices, papaya, kiwi, chili mango and pineapple. Forbidden Fruits is offered as sensimag.com JUNE 2019 129

Purple Green MOUNTAINS

TREES

ELEVATE YOUR COLORADO SUMMER WITH OUR WIDE SELECTION OF CANNABIS PRODUCTS

130 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 131

RECREATIONAL

NOW OPEN

132 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

VANGST

So You’re Looking Into the Cannabis Business VANGST IS THE PLACE TO POST OR FIND A GIG IN THIS FAST-GROWING INDUSTRY.

Go to the Vangst website, an employee recruit-

things, and all had real unique and specific hiring

ment platform, and you can find dozens of good jobs

needs, and were having a hard time attracting talent.”

and what you can expect to make in one of the fast-

Fast forward four years, and Vangst has connected

est-growing industries in the country and the world.

more than 12,000 people into jobs with more than 700

It’s the brainchild of Karson Humiston, the found-

clients in the US and Canada. The company has raised

er and CEO of Vangst, a site where anyone can post

more than $13 million to finance its growth. “We are

or find a gig in this industry. She was in upstate New

believers that this is one of the biggest industries that

York in 2015, running a travel and adventure business,

we are seeing in our lifetime,” Humiston says. “And to

when she began asking students and others where

be part of helping to build the industry through great

they wanted to work. More than 70 percent indicated

people has been an awesome ride.”

the cannabis industry.

She says that there are now about 250,000 peo-

That inspired her to attend a cannabis conference

ple employed in the cannabis business across the

in Colorado. “I found all kinds of businesses here, from

US—300,000 if you include the ancillary, indirect busi-

cultivation to extraction to retail to ancillary business-

nesses. “You look at states like Colorado generating

es,” Humiston says. “They were all doing really unique

hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue, employing 60,000 people, and the size and growth of this industry really speaks for itself.”

Vangst is working in California and Colorado, and will continue expanding to the newly-legalized states as they come online this year. “What is really important is that we believe that we have the opportunity to build one of the most inclusive industries because we are starting from ground zero,” she says. “More awesome people will continue to become part of this industry. It’s just very exciting and inspiring every day.”

For more information, visit:

VANGST.COM

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 133

CERTIFIED CLEAN GREEN ORGANIC

Organically Cultivated Sustainably Grown Clean Cannabis

Because when you know, you know better.

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MARMALADE We start with premium live rosin and then through applying a small amount of heat, we cure it to deepen the flavor profile and bring out a the enriched terpenes. This process makes it an incredibly flavorful product that is shelf stable and easy to da The final component that creates a well balanced high is a micro-dose of CBD, making this product the first of its kind.

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{HereWeGo }

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

136 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder

OFF THE MAP Adventure to Moab.

When you receive a satellite phone message from a friend with directions to an unmarked waterfall coordinate somewhere 80 miles into the Moab desert, you pack the truck and go. That’s how life works, if you’re doing it right. Sensi’s marketing director Andre Velez is. He got the coordinates and made the six-hour-or-so drive from Boulder to Canyonlands National Park, then ventured out into unmarked territory. If you google the coordinates, the first intelligible result is for “Inventoried Roadless Areas.”

It’s worth it, and Dre’s got the photos to prove it. If you go, bring lots of water, obviously, and make sure to tag us in your pics, @DREBOTZ ,

@SENSIMAGAZINE

on Insta. Tag Dre as well,

and follow along. It’s summer time and living

is easy. Let’s adventure.

Coordinates for the destination: -109.743505, 38.178358

sensimag.com JUNE 2019 137

138 JUNE 2019 Denver // Boulder