Sensi Magazine - Las Vegas (July 2019)

LAS VEGAS

IN WITH

THE NEW

From a forgotten corner to a creative complex

ISLAND BREEZE Capture the spirit of Jamaica SOARING DELIGHTS Edibles add a high(er) level

{plus}

CIAO ITALIA: CHOW DOWN ON ITALIAN HOME COOKING

THE NEW NORMAL

7.2019

sensimag.com JULY 2019 3

4 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

ISSUE 7 //VOLUME 2 //7.2019

FEATURES SP EC IAL R EP OR T

32 Sexy Yogis and Time Travel A mosaic tapestry through one rip-roaring week in Jamaica.

40 The Year of the Edible

Experts expect infused food and drinks to rule the pot market in the 2020s.

MAMMA MIA! Pizza time in Vegas.

14

every issue MORE THAN TACOS Taste authentic cuisine

26

7 Editor’s Note 9 The Buzz 14 TasteBuds

ITALIAN DESTINATION

18 AroundTown

RISING LIKE A PHOENIX

22 HighProfile

REEFER MADNESS

26 TravelWell

AUTHENTIC FARE

48 The Scene

VEGAS UNSTRIPPED

50 HereWeGo

ATTACK OF THE PINK FLAMINGO

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

ON THE COVER Fremont Street in Las Vegas. Photo by Keem Ibarra

sensimag.com JULY 2019 5

sensi magazine ISSUE 7 / VOLUME 2 / 7.2019

EXECUTIVE FOLLOW US

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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

Debbie Hall debbie.hall@sensimag.com MANAGING EDITOR, SENSI LAS VEGAS

Leland Rucker leland.rucker@sensimag.com SENIOR EDITOR

Robyn Griggs Lawrence CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Dr. Angie McCartney askangie@sensimag.com sensimagazine

COLUMNIST

CJ Magne

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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

sensimag

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

BUSINESS & A D M I N I S T R AT I V E Kristan Toth kristan.toth@sensimag.com HEAD OF PEOPLE

Pam Langsam pam.langsam@sensimag.com Abi Wright abi.wright@sensimag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS

Amber Orvik amber.orvik@sensimag.com CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR

Andre Velez andre.velez@sensimag.com MARKETING DIRECTOR

Neil Willis neil.willis@sensimag.com PRODUCTION MANAGER

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A TRAIL

editor’s

NOTE

Triple-digit temperatures

(with the low in the 80s), white-hot sunlight, day clubs, and pools filled with bronzed bodies describe Vegas in July. Fun, leisure, professional networking, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and getting married fill the days and nights of Sin City tourists. In fact, according to a study by Grosvenor Casino, 60 percent of engaged couples consider Las Vegas the second-best destination in the world to elope. Relatively new to the Vegas wedding industry is the Cannabis Chapel, a weed-themed venue across from The Grove dispensary.

Stats show that millennials (age 22 to 38) are focusing on their careers and building toward their futures, with Southern Nevada considered a top place to live. Many factors make Vegas a hot destination. Now that consumption lounges have been legalized within the Las Vegas city borders (which does not include the Strip), another layer of relaxation and socialization has been added. While California is suffering a splintering of regulations with cities and counties outlawing cannabis, both medicinal and recreational use remains legal throughout the entire state of Nevada.

The state also boasts of having the first overall female majority legislature in the US. This might be one reason Nevada lawmakers bucked the trend of several other states signing into law more restrictive abortion measures. Nevada legislation includes removing requirements that doctors document marital status and advise of the emotional implications of terminating a pregnancy. There is no longer a criminal penalty to supply medication or use an instrument to induce an abortion without the advice of a physician.

Southern Nevada continues to develop as a culinary capital, entertainment mecca (with residency shows such as Lady Gaga), and technology center with the hub of an immersive downtown community. As for hot, Nevada is a blinding white light guiding the rest of the country. While embracing a pro-cannabis attitude, Sensi is part of the mainstream, reaching out with a collective goal: creating a better Southern Nevada for locals and tourists.

Thank you for reading Sensi! We look forward to continuing our relationship with you, our readers.

Yours in the new normal,

Debbie Hall

M ANAG I NG E D I TO R SENSI LAS VEGAS

sensimag.com JULY 2019 7

8 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Naked (Almost) Good Times The Numbers Factor The Burlesque Hall of Fame celebrates Liber-TEASE! on July 5.

Burlesque, the art of the tease with feathers, glitter, angel wings, and other glamour touches, will

come

to

life

with

the

show

Liber-TEASE!

(BHOF.LINK/LIBERTEASE ) presented by The Burlesque Hall of Fame (BURLESQUEHALL.COM ) in partnership with Ron Decar’s Event Center.

Some of the top burlesque performers from Las Vegas and beyond, including the 2018 Miss Exotic World Runner-up Jessabelle Thunder, will perform alongside legends of the classic burlesque era, Tiffany Carter and Gina BonBon. “Burlesque has always been a celebration of our liberties,” says Burlesque Hall of Fame Executive Director Dustin M. Wax. “Since its earliest days, burlesque has pushed the limits of freedom of speech, artistic expression, and to do with one’s body as one wishes. What better way to celebrate our Independence Day than with a burlesque show?”

Performers include Raquel Reed, featured in Absinthe at Caesars Palace; Blanche DeBris; Bettina May; Buttercup; Sweetie Bird; and Tana the Tattooed Lady.

The Burlesque Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization, is

Kanabia incorporates different dosages for CBD.

People consume cannabinoids differently. Blue Sky Biologicals (BLUESKYBIOLOGICALS.COM ) has developed a full range of CBD+ Tinctures in a range of potencies at 250, 500, and 1,000 milligrams with unique infused ingredients that provide complementary benefits. Kanabia products contain a proprietary full-spectrum cannabinoid complex instead of just CBD for maximum support without THC. Health and wellness expert Preet Marwaha developed the line of CBD products as a natural extension of his own holistic path to healing. Marwaha committed to a healthy lifestyle as a child but was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness at the age of 18. After being handed a grim diagnosis and lethal cocktail of prescription drugs, Marwaha focused on healing himself. Whole, organic food became his path back to wellness and, ultimately, a clean bill of health.

Blue Sky Biologicals has created as an organic, healthy, and chemical-free source of CBD products.

Fitness studios, including its partner SoulCycle, have incorporated CBD as a more natural resource for a faster recovery and continuing wellness.

–DH

the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and inspiring the art of burlesque. It is a member of the Nevada Museum Association, Western Museums Association, American Alliance of Museums, and the American Association of State and Local History.

–Debbie Hall

sensimag.com JULY 2019 9

Outer Beauty

Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy sustains our largest organ.

Our skin protects our internal organs, fights against germs, and is a source of pleasure. Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy (SHOPSEVENTHSENSE.COM ) developed a high-quality line of specially designed body and skin care products, made with essential oils and hemp-derived CBD. Its lotions sink in quickly while leaving a soft, pleasant scent, and balms with potent amounts of CBD penetrate deeply without being sticky or stinky.

Raw materials used are compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill Act and tested by third-party facilities for mold, pesticides, heavy metal, and THC level (kept at 0.3 percent or less). Its CBD is sourced in the US from certified, state-licensed hemp processors, and products are compliant with the Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada, and EU Cosmetic Regulations, as well as California Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65).

The ever-expanding product line of CBD-infused personal care and beauty products are available at The+Source dispensaries and online. The line is also available at the newly added Seventh Sense Botanical Therapy CBD shop, one of the city’s first brick-and-mortar CBD options, at Las Vegas South Premium Outlets.

–DH

Explore Creativity CreativeMornings inspires our community.

After posting, tweeting, chatting, snaps, IGing, and texting, face-to-face interactions still connect people and build alliances. CreativeMornings (CREATIVEMORNINGS.COM/CITIES/LV ) brings the community together with breakfast, original music, and inspirational talks following a theme.

In 2008, founder and CEO Tina Roth Eisenberg developed the ongoing lecture series in Brooklyn, New York, for creative people to come together once a month. CreaviteMornings has since grown globally to over 200 cities and 60 countries, including Las Vegas.

Different venues host the meeting with a catered breakfast and plenty of coffee provided by partners. After connecting, local musicians express their passion with original music. A theme such as preservation, courage, change, or risk is explored as the speaker shares how his or her own life intersects. (FACEBOOK.COM/CREATIVEMORNINGSLV ) 10 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Defining passion, purpose, and involvement, CreativeGuild offers a global directory of companies, professionals, and jobs. Its podcasts keep the conversation going with innovative topics and ideas.

Events are free of charge to the public (RSVP is required) and run by a dedicated team of volunteers, including Megan Arzaga, Sara Bloom, and Christina Ellis. As stated on the website, “A creative life requires bravery and action, honesty, and hard work. We are here to support you, celebrate with you, and encourage you to make the things you love.” –DH

sensimag.com JULY 2019 11

SALUTE

WFC Alliance honors the past and offers help now.

Frustration, pain, and despair brought a group of people together to synchronize their strengths to create the nonprofit WFC Alliance. Encompassing wellness, family, and community, the goal is to provide platforms to raise voices and enhance communities using a multitude of modalities.

Voice of the Vet (VOICEOFTHEVET.US ), a division of WFC, documents the memories of veterans in print and video, with copies sent to the Library of Congress. The oldest veteran to be interviewed was 102 and shared invaluable insights about the world he witnessed in over 100 years. Women veterans and spouses are also part of the project. A center is in development to provide services such as yoga, wrestling, Krav Maga, and a computer lab. An audio/video studio for podcasts and video segments is already available. Veterans can also get help with disability claims as well as resources that include cannabis, housing, food, jobs, healthcare, wellness, and training.

Wrestling icon Ian Hodgkinson, known as Vampiro, is the executive director. Veterans, former law enforcement staff, financial professionals, and community leaders serve on the board. Kidz Club encourages children and teens to participate, and pets are included with the Service Pets Club.

12 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

–DH

Art In Action

BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO BY LAURY JAUGEY

Artist Martin Kreloff’s work shines in Art After Stonewall: 1969-1989

The work of nationally acclaimed artist Martin Kreloff (MARTINKRELOFF.COM ), based in Las Vegas, is included in the national tour of the new museum exhibition “Art After Stonewall: 1969-1989.” This groundbreaking show commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The exhibition features over 150 works in film and video art, photography, painting, sculpture, and music. All participants in the exhibit are (or were) members of the LGBTQ community who created works showcasing their values openly, declaring a tremendous personal and professional statement. When Kreloff came out in the Miami Herald newspaper in 1977, he received death threats. In September, he will be attending the opening of the exhibit in the Frost Art Museum at Florida International University.

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Kreloff started painting at the age of 12.

He obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees and lived in various places before moving to Las Vegas in 2004. His “Pole Dancers” series is a part of the permanent collection of the Nevada State Museum and his portrait of Sen. David Parks (D-Las Vegas) hangs in The Nevada State Legislature Building.

However, his work can also be controversial. In the 1980s, he created a piece addressing AIDS, Between A Rock and a Hard Place. The painting is in a private collection in Palm Springs, California, and has never been exhibited. When Kreloff received permission from the owners to display it in his 2016 retrospective show, it was deemed too explicit and had to be removed from the exhibit.

–DH

sensimag.com JULY 2019 13

{tastebuds }

by D E B B I E H A L L

Ada’s

410 S. Rampart Blvd. // Tivoli Village // Las Vegas

ITALIAN DESTINATION Roaming cocktails add to Ada’s dining explosion in the palate.

14 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

“I feel we are creating our own cuisine specifically for our restaurants, including how we handle products, how we treat our guests, and now with my second restaurant, I have incredible support, and I can do more.”

–Chef James Trees

After a coating of rice starch and cornstarch, it is deep fried, but with very little fat added since it is not breaded. The gluten-free dish is then tossed with oil and topped with fried

PHOTO OF CHEF AND STAFF BY JAMIE Y PHOTOGRAPHY

capers, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili peppers.

Las Vegas native Chef James Trees expands his classic

“It might be a lot of effort for such a simple dish,” Trees

culinary style with an idiosyncratic twist, opening Ada’s in

explains, “but this is the chef’s way of doing it, and it tastes

Tivoli Village (ADASLV.COM ). His neighborhood destination

like a great bowl of cauliflower. This just reminds me of the

combines the comfort of the kitchen with a menu of sea-

food that I eat in Rome.”

sonal ingredient-driven pizzas, plates of pasta, salads, and

For the more adventurous, mussels combine spicy ndu-

a new ice cream brand alongside a unique cocktail program.

ja, lemon, and parsley served with toast. Other Roman-in-

The chef opened Ada’s as more of a pizzeria than a pas-

spired bites include mushroom polenta and beets with

ta house, while his very successful downtown restaurant,

honey. Greens, such as in a salad, tempt even the heartiest

Esther’s Kitchen, is a pasta place. As he explains, “About 80

appetites, including a salad made from black kale, cauli-

percent of the menu came from Esther’s since there are so

flower, raisins, and pine nuts that raises the bar. An atypical

many people who live in the northwest who love Esther’s

Caesar salad combines lettuce with fresh Parmesan, chili

and would come more often if it were in their neighbor-

oil, and anchovy.

hood.” However, he didn’t want to introduce a whole new

However, the Italian eatery yells out one word: Pizza.

menu with different items. “I didn’t want to alienate my

There are 15 choices for pizza as well as make-your-own

guests who wanted the food served at Esther’s.”

selections. Yes, favorites such as Margherita, mushroom,

A favorite antipasti choice (and one of the chef’s special-

and veggies are on the menu. However, Chef Trees takes

ties) is cauliflower alla romana, similar to what is served only

it out of the (pizza) box with ingredients such as truffle

in Rome (but with artichokes). This dish is seasoned with

cheese, white asparagus, broccoli rabe, duck confit, and foie

anchovy, chili, and garlic with a canola oil base; the flavors

gras. Clam pie tops the crust with clam veloute, lemon zest,

are blended so not one overpowers the seasonings. The

and parsley. Baccala is a combination of salt cod, saffron

cauliflower is soaked in a 2 percent salt solution to brine it.

potato, and spicy tomato. sensimag.com JULY 2019 15

baileyscbd.com @ b a i l eys c b d

16 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

white coffee and chocolate; and roasted salted pistachio.

Toppings such as fresh cookies, marshmallows, sauces, and brittle complement the frozen treat. A show-stopping brûléed banana split tops the dessert experience. The ice cream counter is at the front of the café, making it convenient to order it to go or enjoy it in leisure on the patio or after dining.

As for the name, it was the idea of Ada’s general manager Sonia Stelea, who told Trees about Ada Coleman, the The housemade pasta served with unique sauces takes the palate on a trip to Italy with stops of unique touches. Gemmelli presents the ultimate in pesto with peas, lemon zest, and pecorino. Rigatoni carbonara, radiatore with black garlic, and daily ricotta ravioli add to the delish choices on the menu.

Polenta, mushrooms, sherry, and truffle butter is smooth and creamy as it dances with the taste buds. Beets are served with vinegar, lavender honey, and herb ricotta for a healthy, tasty side dish.

“We always talk about the DNA of recipes and where they come from. I learned some amazing dishes and continue to serve them. That is how that evolution happens.

I feel really encouraged because I feel we are creating our own cuisine specifically for our restaurants, including how we handle products, how we treat our guests, and now with my second restaurant, I have incredible support, and I can do more,” he says.

Ada’s features roaming bar carts offering tailored gin and tonic cocktails along with other gin-based specialty drinks tableside.

It is all about the atmosphere with a Danish modern aes-

first female head bartender (in the world at that time) of the legendary Savoy hotel in London. She invented the Hanky Panky cocktail during a period in the hotel’s history when it was considered a dive bar.

“It was a man’s position running a bar at the time, but Ada was strong and authoritative, and I see the same qualities in Sonia, which I love about her. So, I decided to name it Ada’s, and my themes in my restaurants is that they are named after powerful women,” Trees says.

Inspired by his great-aunt Esther, Trees began his culinary career as a teenager at the Mirage Hotel & Casino on the Strip. After attending the Culinary Institute of America, he rose through the ranks under internationally known chefs and opened multiple restaurants for the Mina Group and spent several seasons behind the scenes with Gordon Ramsay on Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen. The wildly popular Esther’s Kitchen in the Downtown Las Vegas Arts District is his first independent restaurant along with a BEST ice cream counter at The Strat. His new neighborhood destination, Ada’s, creates a fun, playful atmosphere with a delectable menu and smooth drinks.

thetic featuring bright colors, clean lines, polished woods, and original artwork by local painter Heather Grace. The kitchen is open, and seating includes tables and big back booths. Shaded outdoor seating with a special play area for dogs and their lovers beckons an al fresco moment or bonding with your pooch.

As for dessert, Ada’s serves BEST ice cream, a new branded line of ice cream with culinary flavors made with ultra-premium ingredients. The seasonally rotating menu includes Billington’s salted caramel, peach, and ricotta; Vesta sensimag.com JULY 2019 17

{aroundtown }

by D E B B I E H A L L

Fergusons Downtown

1028 Fremont St.

FERGUSONSDOWNTOWN.COM

RISING LIKE A PHOENIX Fergusons Downtown transforms an old motel into a thriving downtown space.

For any longtime resident (including myself), the

That all changed in 2013, when the Downtown Project,

revitalization of downtown Las Vegas, especially east of

then spearheaded by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, purchased the

the Fremont Street Experience, brings the hub of the city

property. His vision through a $350 million investment was

alive. Fergusons Downtown transforms a forgotten corner

to create the most community-focused city in the world.

with a deteriorating motel into a creative complex filled with

Originally built as a horseshoe with three buildings around

restaurants, taverns, retail, art, and living spaces to connect.

the parking lot, nearly 9,000 square feet has been trans-

Built in the 1940s, the family-owned-and-operated

formed into a community patio. The 69 guest rooms are

downtown motel was originally named Franklin’s Motel.

being converted into 31 retail outlets, creative spaces, and

One family member, 90-year-old Theda, reminisces about

private offices offering square footage from 230 feet and up

her childhood, when at the age of 8 she would collect pay-

to local makers, artists, and businesses. Two buildings south

ments, walk down the street, and deposit them in the bank.

of the motel upstairs will be renovated as private offices.

After it was sold in the 1960s to another family, the motel

Fergusons Downtown has been busy creating events, work-

was renamed Fergusons Motel, also operated by the family.

shops, and activations even through construction. Once the

For over 60 years, the motel provided comfortable rooms

project is complete, the destination will be even more rooted

while the staff cared for its guests. Unfortunately, city

in the community, celebrating music, art, nature, and creative

blocks east of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard de-

energy, with the goal of continuing to cultivate a diverse and

clined as the streets filled with cut-rate retail stores, rent-

inviting community that fosters passion and involvement.

by-the-week apartments, boarded-up buildings, and abandoned lots, making it a scary place to visit.

18 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Change this big takes time, but Jen Taler, co-founder and creative strategist, has seen Fergusons Downtown develop

A downtown resident, Taler has lived on and off in an Airstream park that opened about five years ago. About 30 people live in either an Airstream, tiny houses, or micro-apartment units in the 1-acre park on the northeast

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FERGESON’S DOWNTOWN AND CHRISTOPHER MATLOCK

corner of Fremont and 10th streets. Residents ranging from and take shape as a market square for the past two and a

infants to seniors can use a common kitchen, living spaces,

half years. She moved to Las Vegas 10 years ago to work

pool, and entertainment area, including a stage and outdoor

at Zappos and loved the culture. Hsieh had an open-door

television. While it is private property with jam sessions and

policy and encouraged everyone to break boundaries, col-

Sunday brunches, some public gatherings also happen.

laborate, and explore creativity. Taler also became friends

Giving back to the community also includes the events held

with Hsieh, a relationship that continues to impact her life.

in The Alley, across the street from Fergusons Downtown,

After a couple years with Zappos, she moved to Australia

like Market in the Alley and Pour in the Alley. These events

but returned to Las Vegas after a year. Taler became involved

have brought people together during the revitalization

with the Stitch Factory, a collaborative outlet for designers.

through unique experiences.

Then Taler needed to figure out what she wanted to do

Market in the Alley is a monthly curated market by Fer-

next with her entrepreneurial spirit combined with inspired

gusons Downtown that supports local makers, curators,

imagination. Hsieh approached her about bringing the Fer-

artists, musicians, and culinary innovators. Each month,

gusons Downtown project to fruition. “I decided to think

Market invites locals and visitors alike to engage through

about it and put some ideas together,” she says. “I looked at

taking workshops, supporting and enjoying small local

what I saw, how it would benefit retail and impact the com-

businesses, makers, and culinary offerings, and while doing

munity. I wanted to bring culture and preservation together.”

so, cultivating stronger community impact.

Taler was ready to incorporate her skills at building mi-

Fergusons Downtown also curates the monthly Pour in

cro-experiences and brands. “I am grateful to Tony [Hsieh]

the Alley beverage experience, which benefits selected char-

for giving me this opportunity. We have such an eclectic

ities, and has been bringing people to the space since the

group of people, and talking to them about what they are

beginning of the year. The event strips down a beverage and

doing is a really cool experience for me. I am amazed at

educates guests on all the components, including profiles,

what people can think and create.”

correct glassware, and culinary pairings. The next Pour in the sensimag.com JULY 2019 19

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“We have such an eclectic group of people… I am amazed at what people can think and create.”

—Jen Taler

Alley, Rose & Champagne Tasting Experience, is on July 27. It

illuminating corners of a parlor-style room. The cozy fire-

promises to be an evening of taste, connections, and really

place as the central focus gives way to a hidden nightclub

good times. Local experts, who will talk about its flavors and

that could be construed as a miniature version of the Minis-

where it originated, will present a variety of well-crafted rosé

try of Sound. Local artists perform original songs and high-

and champagne and how to best create a cocktail at home.

light the featured beverages through music.

Pours in Fergusons Downtown’s branded cups are served

“It is so beautiful to see how many people come to sup-

neat, over ice, and blended into a cocktail. Every featured

port Fergusons Downtown, see all of the collaborations, skill

spirit offers its own unique story along with fun facts.

sharing, and how everyone supports each other,” says Taler.

The culinary tastings will complement the flavors of rosé

Downtown Las Vegas might have been through difficult

and champagne. The Excuse Moi is a jazz-age Parisian sa-

times, but from the ashes rises a beautiful city welcoming

lon with red string-bulbs, candlelight, and theatrical lighting

locals and tourists.

sensimag.com JULY 2019 21

{highprofile }

by D E B B I E H A L L

The Terry Fator Theatre The Mirage Hotel & Casino 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. // (702) 792-7777

REEFER MADNESS Entertainment icon Terry Fator celebrates the new normal.

22 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Las Vegas headliner Terry Fator (TERRYFATOR.COM ) combines his talents as a singer, comedian, ventriloquist, and celebrity impressionist to entertain audiences, recently celebrating his 10th year at The Mirage Hotel & Casino. His newest show, An Evening with the Stars, showcases his cast of puppet characters, including Willie Nelson, a big cannabis advocate, and Duggie Scott Walker, Fator’s annoying neighbor who always has and always will party with cannabis.

During the celebration of his 10th year at The Mirage,

When Fator debuted his show in 2009, Duggie was part

the entertainer was given a Key to the Las Vegas Strip by

of the cast that also included Winston the Impersonating

Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, a champion

Turtle, Walter T. Airdale, Julius, and Maynard Thompkins.

of legalizing cannabis in Nevada. The commissioner also

Fator had toured on the country fair circuit and played

proclaimed March 15 as Terry Fator Day.

smaller venues for 25 years when he auditioned for the

While some people might consider Fator’s cast puppets,

second season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. He won that

they are characters with their own opinions, quirks, and

season and was offered a multimillion-dollar contract

idiosyncrasies. Cannabis has always been the new normal

to perform at The Mirage for five years, which has been

with Fator, as expressed with Duggie on and off stage as I

extended to 2023. His unique talent for celebrity impres-

experienced one evening after the show.

sions sung using ventriloquism is impressive as he belts out notes in the voices of Adele and Etta James, croons like

The conversation started with Duggie Scott Walker greeting me, “Hey, Doobie!”

Tony Bennett, and serenades like Aaron Neville with Elton

Terry nudged him and told him my name is Debbie.

John, Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis Jr., and Justin Bieber (just

I asked Duggie how did he end up as Terry’s neighbor,

to name a few celebs) dropping by to perform.

especially with the move to Las Vegas? sensimag.com JULY 2019 23

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“IT IS AN AMAZING THING TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HURTING, AND IT IS UP TO ALL OF US TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.” –Terry Fator

“I have been with him for a long time, and I won’t let

with a pending 501(c)3 designation. All of the profits—100

him go,” says Duggie. “He is always there. It’s the weirdest

percent—from the sales of his merchandise, whether pur-

thing, no matter where I move, there’s Duggie,” adds Fator.

chased at The Mirage, shows on tour, or online, benefit the

I smiled as I asked Duggie about adult-use recreational

foundation. Giving is focused on various charities, including

cannabis now being legal in Nevada.

military and first responders, children diagnosed with cancer,

Duggie looked at us stunned and asked, “It’s legal?”

and Nevada Blind Children’s Foundation. Fator has also been

“He still hasn’t quite grasped that and hides his weed. I

a longtime supporter of the Arthritis Foundation because his

keep trying to explain it to him,” Fator explained, then asks

late sister had arthritis for many years.

Duggie if he understands when something is now legal?

“It is an amazing thing to give back to my community and

Duggie got that deer-in-the-headlight look and asked

the world. There are so many people hurting, and it is up to

“What?” as we both realized to give it up.

all of us to make the world a better place for everyone,” says

Fator discovered CBD oil after he had shoulder surgery, as he explains, “I have never been in so much intense, agoniz-

Fator. “It’s wonderful to be in a position to help and include my fans who support me by helping the foundation.”

ing pain. My poor wife was beside herself worrying about

Ironically, Fator’s original plan was to appear on a couple of

me.” The day after surgery, Fator was scheduled to fly to San

episodes of America’s Got Talent, get kicked off, and then raise his

Francisco. Medication and other methods did not ease his

price when he performed in schools. Fator did plan to play in Las

excruciating pain. A nurse on his flight told Fator to stop in a

Vegas but thought he would begin in one of the smaller, older

dispensary and buy some CBD oil.

casinos and move up in 10 to 15 years. He remains amazed and

“We were desperate to get relief. We got the CBD oil, and the difference was like night and day. My wife and I are now big supporters of medicinal cannabis,” he says.

“We are so thrilled to have it. The medicinal properties are limitless, and we have only scratched the surface of how cannabis will be able to help people in the future.”

He has always given back to the community and has founded the Terry Fator Foundation (TERRYFATORFOUNDATION.ORG)

grateful for his success today and how it all happened.

“I am the poster boy for living the American dream,” says Fator.

“But he is not the poster boy for cannabis,” adds Duggie.

“I am.”

The show remains fresh and different; Fator continues to give his best performances while supporting his community. sensimag.com JULY 2019 25

{travelwell }

by C J M AG N E

AUTHENTIC FARE Eat like a local in Mexico City.

Visitors love to eat where the locals go to sip, savor, and dine. When Las Vegas residents travel outside of Southern Nevada, they transform into—gasp—tourists. As a visitor, one way to navigate the culinary terrain is a food tour to explore the city’s culinary culture, and regional cuisine.

For an insider’s view, Eat Like a Local Mexico City Tours (EATLIKEALOCAL.COM.MX ) with Mexico City native and founder Rocio Vazquez Landeta showcases all the hidden gastronomic gems and food journeys in cutting-edge restaurants along with secret food stalls and street food.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Vasquez Landeta loves taking tourists throughout her vibrant city to explore, taste, and connect with Mexico City’s food scene, markets, restaurants, and people.

Mexico City is one place where the best cuisine is not an eight-course tasting menu but meant to be enjoyed on the go while exploring eclectic neighborhoods. When vacationing in Mexico City, it is a must to eat its low-key, delicious street food with staples such as pozole, tacos al pastor, tamales, and quesadillas.

The Vegan Market & Roma Norte Adventure is a curated tour featuring vegan dishes served in a mix of vegan restaurants. Enjoy hip coffee shops and authentic street food delicacies at the largest wholesale flower market in the city, where visitors can sample grilled corn, squash blossom cheese-free quesadillas, and a complete fruit tasting with over 12 local varieties. The tour also includes stops at non-vegan restaurants serving outstanding plant-based dishes by chefs such as Enrique Olvera, owner and head chef at Pujol, and Astrid Ceballos, a vegan chef who manages Palacio de Hierro’s healthy food. In fact, Ceballos guides 26 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

the vegan tour when she is not teaching at her raw vegan cooking school. The group gets to savor craft coffee, green mole mixiotes, tamales, al pastor tacos made with oyster mushrooms, grilled corn, fruit, high-end tacos, smoothies,

Mexican cuisines to create a taco made with caramelized

quesadillas, delicious desserts, and a mezcal cocktail.

onions, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, steak, and dried chil-

The Roma Norte at Night: Mezcal & Pulque is a more re-

ies. Delicious quesadillas include squash blossom, chick-

laxed tour discovering the trendy neighborhood of Roma

en, potatoes, and chorizo or mushrooms with or without

Norte. The first stop highlights street corn covered in mayo,

cheese. Fun fact: Mexico City is the only city in the coun-

lime, cheese, and chili powder. Tortas are found in a hidden

try where quesadillas are made without cheese. A warm

stall that also serves birria soup, and adventurous palates

churro ends the dining aspect,and a liquor tour continues

can try suadero—brisket cooked in lard for several hours

the evening. A traditional pulque place offers insights into

with cilantro and onion. One of the tour’s highlights is vis-

the beverage’s history while everyone tastes three differ-

iting a stall that has been serving tacos for over 60 years,

ent flavors of the fermented drink made with agave juice,

featuring steak, campechano, and pork rinds wrapped in a

often mixed with fruits, caramel, or even cookies. The

warm freshly made tortilla. Modern gastronomy requires

tour ends at a trendy mezcal and wine shop where the

a visit to a fusion taco place combining Argentinian and

group can try four different kinds of mezcal, craft beer, or Mexican wine.

The Food Tour with Kids starts in a Condesa neighborhood with coffee for the parents and hot chocolate for the

sensimag.com JULY 2019 27

28 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Mexico City is one place where the best cuisine is not an eight-course tasting menu but meant to be enjoyed on the go while exploring eclectic neighborhoods. ilies. The 80iq program developed by the tour company provides weekly English lessons and monthly inspiration kids. This foodie adventure meanders to the flower market, where kids can enjoy cheese quesadillas, tacos, candy, corn, ice cream, and a Mexican treat, jicaletas sprinkled with flavored sugar. Parents relax while kids learn how to subway surf, take in interesting facts about Mexico’s history, and play with corn dough. The young visitors are rewarded with a tiny piñata, candy, and a commemorative pin for joining the Brave and Adventurous Kids Travelers Club. The tour ends with gummy bears and lime frozen treats, while the kids enjoy the playground and the parents can indulge in a refreshing cocktail at a bar nearby.

The Food Tour for Bachelors and Bachelorettes begins with coffee and coconut water. Everyone then hops on the subway to the flower market to enjoy carnitas, candy, fruit, beer, and other Mexican delicacies. The fun continues with pulque tastings at a 100-year-old pulquería. Walking around Roma Norte, guests experience an alcohol-based ice-cream shop featuring mezcal and passionfruit or margarita sorbet, Mexican wine, or craft beer.

Eat Like a Local Mexico City is the only Mexican-founded food tour agency promoting economic growth and creating opportunities for families within the traditional markets. In partnership with Traso AC, the company offers underprivileged children weekly boxing lessons, citizenship workshops, and companionship while adults receive parenting and nutritional counseling for their fam-

workshops where children have the opportunity to meet amazing people and learn about different careers. Eat Like a Local guests can meet the children and participate in book readings. The programs also offer financial education for mothers, teaching them about credit, savings, a monthly budget, and developing strategies to achieving financial independence. As a female-owned and operated company, Eat Like a Local Mexico City’s mission is to empower women by creating job opportunities and helping others explore economic choices.

Vazquez Landeta began her career in public relations and marketing for luxury brands such as Mont Blanc and Mercedes Benz. After experiencing a poorly run tour while visiting Turkey, she decided to create Eat Like a Local Mexico City. A world traveler who has visited over 23 countries and 65 cities, Vazquez Landeta is also a sustainable tourism researcher, avid reader, food expert, and entrepreneur.

She loves sharing her passion for her city and its people to create a tourism product that promotes cultural exchange and economic growth. Eat Like a Local Mexico City features an all-women team with people from different backgrounds, including sociologists, food stylists, art historians, and textile designers.

Locals live everywhere and want to share what makes their home special, and Eat Like a Local Mexico City will enhance that vacation south of the border.

sensimag.com JULY 2019 29

SPEC IAL REPORT

SEXY YOGIS, TIME TRAVEL +CANNABIS FARMS A mosaic tapestry through one rip-roaring week in Jamaica for the multicultural Tmrw.Tday festival.

by DA N Mc C A R T H Y

It’s an unusually cold Boston afternoon.

DEADLINE LOOMS, AND THE USUAL

WRITERLY PROCESS OF MINE HAS BEGUN. SPORADIC THOUGHTS GIVE WAY TO IMMERSIVE RECALL, A MUST FOR THE TASK AT HAND. BECAUSE IN SPITE OF A MISHMASH OF G-DOC NOTES AND WILDLY UNORGANIZED VOICE RECORDINGS ON MY PHONE, MAKING CHRONOLOGICAL OR EVEN STRUCTURAL SENSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THE REPORTORIAL SENSE IS A BIT OF A BLUR. CALL IT ISLAND TIME. Or just call it a week in Jamaica for a cannonball right

personal manifestos (there were more than a few of those...

into the heart of the Tmrw.Tday Festival (TMRWTDAY.COM ).

but that was the energy of the whole festival) is something of

As Tmrw.Today is a multi-focus, multicultural well-

an origin story for the Tmrw.Tday retreat. Founder Andrew

ness, music, art, and dance hootenanny, one can imag-

Christoforou and his wife Stacy Irie Soul (who led both yoga

ine the difficulty in distilling the experience, especial-

and meditation/mindfulness talks through the week) had

ly when it happens to be the first sojourn down to Irie

attended LA-based Oppermann’s five day workshop in Oax-

country in 20 years for your humble servant here. But

aca, Mexico on NYE2018. Later, they took his online Incuba-

with enough mental jujitsu, I’m able to untangle the tap-

tor, which Christoforou claimed transformed them both—so

estry of the week, presented here in a journalistic mo-

much so, that the festival coming to life was the direct result

saic: a sort of impressionistic take on a traditional dis-

of Christoforou and company applying what they absorbed

patch from paradise. It’s starting to come into focus...

from Oppermann’s lessons. Pretty strong pitch, no matter

Scene Report

“It was life changing,” Christoforou told the packed sec-

Geographical backdrops are the first images dissolving into

ond floor of the glimmering expansion and reconstruc-

frame. Montego Bay, Orange Hill, and greater Westmoreland.

tion of the Woodstock Beach bar and resort, where the

And there was at least one minor panic attack after being

festival kept its home base for the week.

handed the keys to a new comrade’s rental car at sundown; a

“It’s a true honor for me, since I teach about living the

cheery experiment in left-side road driving to find the area’s

life of one’s future self. I feel spending time here in this

lone ATM still dispensing money to avoid a humid 40 minute

moment with all you beautiful beings is the manifesta-

walk along Norman Manley Boulevard, the main drag flank-

tion of this idea of living the life of your future self,” Op-

ing the heavenly (if tourist-plagued) Seven Mile Beach just

permann crooned into the microphone. And it was about

north of downtown Negril. That one’s hard to forget.

there I turned off the recorder, stretched out on my mat,

Putting it all together requires more digging in the menPHOTOS COURTESY OF TMRW.TDAY FESTIVAL. PURPLE GLASSES PHOTO BY DAN McCARTHY

how you slice it.

tal dust pile: Where was I heaving myself off of a perilous

and realized any traditional reportorial work for this one was going to be futile. Just go with the flow.

spring water cave naturally carved into the earth, with the

That flow involved Bluetooth headphones serenaded

turquoise water and the apparent specter of death at every

by Oppermann’s dulcet Germanic tones, instructing the

leap? Where was that house in the cliffs where I joined a

room to follow him along on a journey to the other side of

small, sexy crew of colorful strangers led by that husband-

reality (in your mind): “You are traveling through dimen-

and-wife team of plant-medicine science for guided psy-

sions now…deep in the universe…past space and time.

chedelic social hours? Was I in front of my hotel when I was

There is a yellow liquid waterfall of light to let in your

alone on a beach chair under a single overhead safety light

mind. Expand your DNA…”

at 3 a.m. at the end of one night? Yes, that I remember. The journey into the mind’s eye—that night and now—comes with an easier takeoff thanks to an earlier trip through inner space at the start of the week…

Meeting Peter Oppermann for the first time, a catalogue-model-handsome life coach and meditation teach-

Steam Team Kevin

Campbell,

owner

of

Steam

Team

JA

(STEAMTEAMJA.COM ), embodies the archetype of a 21st century youthful Rasta carving a life and sustainable career for himself on his native soil in the days of legal green.

er leading a multiday series of guided audio inner-space

Tall and broad, his dense beard and dark eyes frame a

meditations and lectures, you first catch the loose-jawed

face outlined in a lion’s mane of long dreadlocks. And he

Berlin accent you’d expect from someone promising to

is always at the ready to provide hearty blasts of steam

take your consciousness from a state of 3D to 5D.

via the coconut-and-bamboo clay bowl steam chalices

His lecture and involvement in the week’s agenda, a sweep-

he makes and sells. Call it the original vaporizer. Torched

ing wellness series of mixed classes, workouts, lectures, and

coconut shell charcoals sit atop a handmade clay bowl, sensimag.com JULY 2019 31

32 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

PHOTO (TOP) COURTESY OF TMRW.TDAY FESTIVAL AND (BOTTOM) BY DAN McCARTHY

with whole raw flower placed below the small, quar-

all over the US, South America, the Middle East, Africa,

ter-sized clay separator. Water from the base is heated

Europe, and Australia. What started as a raucous get-

as the coals are torched, and the activated flower in the

ting-to-know you evening over Rasta Pasta and quality

bowl steams off all the cannabinoids drawn through the

hash joints eventually gave way to a live acoustic duo

bamboo mouthpiece for a super mellow, terpene-rich

charming the room, closed by an early morning DJ-led

blast of the local crop. The charcoal burns clean and nat-

nighttime dancefest with enough sweaty yogis and oth-

ural, and is hot enough to throw a fresh dab on to really

er acrobatic searchers to make any writer reconsider his

spice up your session.

choice of a Rocket Pop-print cabana shirt (roughly a size

My first steam with Kevin went down the night Chris-

too small, thanks winter) as the night’s swagfest.

toforou and his team led a platoon of festival partiers to

Being in no mood for dance, I spent the evening steam-

local hotspot Pushart—a hot-people ensemble to be sure,

ing with my new company, and later with Marcus “Bubble-

heavy with Canadians, and peppered with people from

man” Richardson (BUBBLEMANBRAND.COM), an OG name in the global hemp game from Canada. For those who know him, he needs no introduction. For those who don’t, consider: Bubble Hash. Have you had it? Good. His is better. The best, actually. And that makes sense, considering he pioneered the art of it, invented his own bags for production (which is how the stuff first came to the island over 20 years ago, according to Richardson). In other words: Best. Bubble Hash. Ever. Ever, ever. A few blasts and I could bite a tiger.

The collective steam-meet with Bubbleman gave way to a weeklong orbit around each other. At times, we were meeting up at Woodstock for lectures or scouring the bazaar on the ground floor. Other times, I was hopping in Bubbleman’s rental to follow Campbell down backcountry roads and Orange Hill’s government-maintained roadways. Not for the faint of heart.

One afternoon of rally-car driving brought us to Waba Claysensimag.com JULY 2019 33

34 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TMRW.TDAY FESTIVAL

ton’s Farm, where natural-wonder swimming attraction The Blue Hole sits at the base of Waba’s hilltop Xanadu, built in the 1940s high in hills, with a finished rooftop lined with pots of cannabis plants overlooking the ocean in the distance. It’s energy is one of a refuge and haven of authentic Rasta life, communal living, and general survival at the hands of random tourists there for an Instagram-perfect attraction, or a walkthrough and sampling of outdoor cannabis of shocking quality, enough to cause any weed snob to reconsider their side of the indoor-vs-outdoor argument.

Speaking to VICE News (which filmed a segment at Waba’s farm recently), Waba laid out the perilous nature of being a celebrated local farmer with the kind of growing skills built over a lifetime of labor in the dawn of national (and international) cannabis legalization. Considering weed was still illegal in Jamaica until 2015 (yes, really), legalization has opened the floodgates for the green gold rush on the island.

With the threat of outside entities moving in and taking over the emerging legal cannabis market from native farmers, the time to be politically cognizant of the changing laws and regulations of Jamaica’s cannabis industry has never been more prescient. For Waba, he’s applied to legally sell his crops, but the local governing board has yet to approve it, so it’s a hurry-up-and-wait game. Even if they do get the nod, the cost of getting licensed to grow and transport product is more than the average annual salary of a Jamaica. High cost of entry, the maw of bureaucratic red tape, and big money muscling in on seasoned farmers in the weed world: sound familiar? Should the governing board simply reject Waba’s application flat-out, all that fire flower and smiling crew at the farm will be either back on the black market, or simply pushed out.

“I would have to stop, because I’m a business person, you know?” Waba told VICE. “I’d have to go do something else. But what about the other person who can’t [do something else]? Ganja is not just a drug. It’s a spiritual

thing that’s sent here to help poorer-class people. Without ganja, I don’t know what this community would be.”

Rooms and Board If you ever find your way to this part of the island, here’s a free tip: Hang out at Seven Mile Beach, of course, but stay in the cliffs. Both spots have their pros, neither, that I could tell, really have their cons.

But then came Tensing Pen (TENSINGPEN.COM ), an otherworldly privately owned resort of grass-roofed bungalows and rock-cliff-connecting foot bridges stretched between points on the cliffs impossible not to leap off of into the Caribbean Sea below. Once settled in the area, you start to understand why a woman I met on an afternoon of meandering along the West End said those who know, know to hit the cliffs versus the beach. I ran into her after the rains started and I popped into a spot called Xtabi for refreshment and new set of views. Earlier in the week, I had bummed a pack of Cheyenne Silver cigarettes off her at the festival where she was working the check in desk. With a touch of a history lesson, mostly about a class of Americans and Canadians who have been coming to Negril as a cultural hippie-haven after the San Francisco 1960s dream of peace, love, and Flower Power died at the hands of American Exceptionalism, she regaled me with stories of the “old days” on the cliffs, and the sheer bacchanal of daily life that it was. And still is (if you know where to find it).

I wasn’t there to find it that day, but good to know where to return to on subsequent journeys to the island. No, I was too busy enjoying the cove views from my chalet at Tensing Pen, which overlooked a portion of limestone cliffs where a set of stairs had been carved into the ancient stone, likely during the island’s colonization by the British and the Spanish in the 17th or 18th century.

“Nobody knows who put it there or when,” said Anne-Marie Petros, part of the husband-and-wife team who own the sensimag.com JULY 2019 35

36 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

PHOTO COURTESY OF TMRW.TDAY FESTIVAL

resort. Their two Rhodesian Ridgeback doggos patrol the

on someone else’s dime, by the way) and anything that in

grounds for pets and food and company as two dogs living

the end leaves you feeling better than when you arrived.

better than 99 percent of the world’s population do.

For Andrew and Stacy and their realized dream of a festival

Wellness, Fashion, Friends, Smoothies

(which returns next year, so get it on your calendars now if this appeals to you), that result is all that matters.

It wasn’t all a big party. Well, okay, it felt like that, but

And no matter if your entry point is cannabis, psyche-

between the local jewelry makers, Steam Team’s corner

delics, Burning Man-style spiritualism and mysticism,

booth, and the eco-conscious-fashion garments selling as

agnostic-based energy chakra touting this and that, or

a platform for local communities, Tmrw.Tday was a true

just some good old steamin’ and dreamin’, however you

melting pot of island solace, commerce, and storytelling.

get to the place most were at by the time we were at the

There were also a multitude of speeches by wellness entrepreneurs. Downstairs on the ground floor, there was

closing night party, then who cares? Good vibes, good energy, good living, good people.

always available water, farm-to-table vegan food options,

That final night party went down at a jaw-droppingly

and invigorating health shakes made slowly (very slowly)

beautiful private (and for rent!) compound called Llan-

using local island fruits. All of which were easily enhanced

trissant Villa (BEACHCLIFF.COM ), owned by a delightful,

with CBD found all over the festival at Woodstock, includ-

silver-maned septuagenarian and pharmaceutical com-

ing a stand-alone CBD café right in the middle of the beach,

pany CEO, currently at work on getting his synthetic-can-

courtesy of Cafe (IAMCAFE.COM ).

nabinoid-based medicine to create HIV quiescence (read:

Memories Fade But Wisdom Lingers

silencing the thing that makes HIV deadly) to clinical trials.

We talked for a long time after sunset: about his time on the

That week in May at the festival was one of sensory

island, about meeting new people at multicultural festivals,

overload. Honestly I don’t even have the energy to get it all

and about simply not being a shit person. We talked about

right, but for that matter I don’t want to, at least for this one

his work, about cannabis as medicine. And we talked about

(although you can read the full-length version of this nar-

how, in spite of the world changing at a rapid clip, faster

rative at SENSIMAG.COM/DANINJAMAICA ). No, this story is

than ever before, by focusing on the right things—cannabis

really about the takeaway—whatever one got from the fes-

legalization, for one—we have a chance to create a better,

tival, the orbiting pathways to higher living and more en-

healthier, more just world than the one we’re living in.

gaged existing (not hard to do living in paradise for a week

Now that, I remember.

sensimag.com JULY 2019 37

As innovation in cannabis-infusion takes great leaps, most experts expect infused food and drinks to rule the pot market in the 2020s.

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

YEAR OF THE

EDIBLE 38 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Fed by the best minds IN RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION IN CANNABISINFUSED FOOD AND BEVERAGES IS ENTERING A NEW ERA. BIG AG AND BIG FOOD ARE CIRCLING, DIPPING THEIR TOES IN, READY TO POUNCE AS SOON AS THE US GOVERNMENT LEGALIZES CANNABIS—A MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF, THAT MANY BELIEVE COULD COME AS SOON AS THIS YEAR OR NEXT. Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors Brewing Co., Mooseh-

effects. They’ve found a way to make fat-soluble cannabi-

ead, Coca-Cola, Diageo (maker of Smirnoff and Baileys),

noids into water-soluble powders and liquids so that in-

and Mondelēz International (maker of Oreos) have all

fusing anything is a simple matter of adding and stirring.

announced they’re looking into CBD- and THC-infused

And that’s just the beginning. Late last year, the Human

(mostly CBD) food and beverages. CVS and Walgreens

Genome Project, which provides source information for

are planning to sell CBD products in some states. Scotts

gene farming that transforms commercially and thera-

Miracle-Gro is buying up cannabis cultivation companies

peutically valuable segments of the human genetic code

and making moves into genetically modifying cannabis,

into agricultural products, mapped the cannabis genome,

while Monsanto—consistently voted the world’s most evil

opening the door to an even more sophisticated level of

corporation—was one of the first companies to establish

research on par with other economically lucrative crops.

offices in Uruguay after that country legalized adult use.

Citing a study showing that consumers don’t have any

Scientists who honed their skills at the world’s top food

problems with corporations considering cannabis-in-

and pharmaceutical corporations and research institu-

fused products, Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Colorado’s

tions have put their minds to the plant, figuring out how

leading edibles maker Wana Brands, told Paul Barron of

to break cannabis down to its components and put it back

The Barron Report podcast, “My working assumption is

together again to create consistent, measured, predictable

that every major company is looking at this.”

sensimag.com JULY 2019 39

40 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Everyone does appear to be eyeing the edibles market,

Mainstream food growers and producers are making

especially since The Arcview Group published a head-

moves. British Columbia-based Village Farms—one of the

line-grabbing report predicting edibles sales would qua-

largest producers, marketers, and distributors of green-

druple in the US and Canada, to $4.1 billion, and global sales

house-grown produce in North America—has already

would reach $32 billion by 2022. They can’t help but notice

converted a large portion of its vegetable greenhouses to

that consumers are gobbling up newly legal CBD-infused ev-

cannabis, and Newstrike Brands is partnering with food

erything—including food and drinks—pushing predictions

company Neal Brothers to produce cannabis edibles.

that CBD sales in the US will hit $22 billion (up from $262 million in 2016) in 2022, according to the New York Times.

Edibles Winning in California

They also like what they see in edible consumer de-

Cannabis legalization in the world’s fifth-largest econ-

mographics. Primarily female with post-secondary ed-

omy and largest legal cannabis market has gotten off to

ucation and high incomes, these shoppers buy edibles

a rocky start as high taxes have forced far too many Cal-

the same way they do groceries, looking for items that

ifornians to hang onto their black-market dealers, but

satisfy their food preferences, tolerances, and flavor

that hasn’t stopped analysts from predicting that $5.1

profiles, according to research firm High Yield Insights.

billion of cannabis edibles would be sold in the state—ri-

These consumers like edibles because they’re discreet

valing the beer market—this year.

and offer longer, more intense highs and better pain and

“While the cultivation and concentrates markets are

anxiety relief than smoking, according to an RTI Interna-

getting most of the buzz, it’s the edibles market that rep-

tional study of cannabis users in legal states.

resents one of the strongest sectors for growth in the can-

Cannabis is taking its rightful place as an established

nabis space,” Investing News reports. “This market sector

and valuable functional food ingredient, and we haven’t

is driven in large part by new users and those focused on

seen anything yet. Sylvan Charlebois, dean of the Fac-

health and wellness who want a smoke-free cannabis ex-

ulty of Management and professor of agri-food distri-

perience. There are signs this consumer segment is al-

bution and policy at Dalhousie University, predicts that

ready flooding into the California cannabis market.”

within 10 years, 5 to 7 percent of all food sold in Canada will contain cannabis.

A number of events and evolutions have converged so that more and more of us will be snacking on CBD-infused gummies and sipping mocktails microdosed with THC in the 2020s.

Canada Opens Up Edibles Market Though Canada’s population pales in comparison to the US’s, the country of 30 million people is the first G-7 nation to legalize, and it’s attracting a lot of attention. The Canadian government kicked the complex undertaking of designing a regulatory system for edibles down the road until this month, and earlier this year it held a two-month public consultation period to help craft those regulations, which were expected to impose tight limitations on potency and packaging. Ignoring consumers’ clear preference for gummies (which make up a quarter of the edibles market in the US), Health Canada is promoting healthier edible options such as cannabis-infused kombucha and protein drinks.

Marijuana Policy Group co-founder Miles Light told

CBC News that edibles and non-flower products are the ultimate end-game for cannabis companies in Canada

A number of events and evolutions have converged so that more and more of us will be snacking on CBD-infused gummies and sipping mocktails microdosed with THC in the 2020s

because food is a friendlier niche for new, smaller companies than cannabis production, which is already dominated by a handful of mega-producers. sensimag.com JULY 2019 41

42 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

“People will never trust products that don’t deliver consistent experiences. We can take the plant components apart and put them back together, literally at will, to drive those experiences.”

—Jon Cooper, Ebbu

Better Eating Through Chemistry?

ing oils, and brewers such as Heineken-owned Lagunitas

A couple years ago, Jon Cooper, CEO of Colorado-based

are giving beer a dank edge by adding common cannabis

cannabis research company Ebbu—which industry gi-

terpenes pinene and myrcene. Terpenes were among the

ant Canopy Growth Corporation acquired last year as

most studied compounds last year, Analytical Cannabis

part of its efforts to build a collection of patented, stan-

reports, and that research is now shaping the industry

dardized products that deliver specific outcomes—told

as companies like Steep Hill Laboratories establish data-

me that trust, control, responsibility, and safety would be

bases of terpenes and their usefulness for growers.

the cannabis industry’s defining message as it evolved.

Synthetics—CBD and THC created in a lab from organic

“People will never trust products that don’t deliver con-

hosts such as yeast, sugar, or petroleum-based chemicals—

sistent experiences,” he said. “Big companies coming

will also play a big role. Hyasynth Bio, a Montreal-based

into this space will have no choice but to achieve that.”

startup recently acquired by Organigram Holdings, plans to

His prediction is proving to be prescient, and you can ex-

produce thousands of kilograms of CBD powder made from

pect to see more and more edibles designed to promote spe-

yeast for pharmaceuticals and packaged goods within two

cific effects such as relaxation, focus, energy, stress-relief,

years. (Organigram is investing heavily in edibles innova-

and sleep on cannabis store shelves. “We can take the plant

tion, including a $15 million fully automated production line

components apart and put them back together, literally at

that can produce 4 million kilograms of chocolate cannabis

will, to drive experiences,” Scott Riefler, vice president of sci-

edibles per year using advanced engineering and robotics.)

ence for cannabinoid company Tarukino, marveled during a “Smart Kitchen Summit” podcast sponsored by The Spoon.

David Kideckel, managing director and senior equity research analyst at investment firm AltaCorp Capital, told

Tarukino, Ebbu, and several other companies have de-

The Growth Op that the ability to make cannabinoids in

veloped processing techniques that emulsify cannabi-

bulk in a lab allows for more consistency in the produc-

noids into nano-size particles that dissolve into water and

tion of all cannabinoids and will open up a whole world

mix more easily into blood. These water-soluble concen-

beyond THC and CBD. “As soon as cannabis is descheduled

trates are game changers, making it a breeze for food and

as a controlled substance on a federal level in the United

beverage manufacturers to infuse products with dose- and

States, you’re going to start seeing research dollars pouring

effect-specific formulations of cannabinoids and terpenes.

in from Big Pharma and CPG [consumer packaged goods]

Terpenes are a big factor here, and they’ve become all

companies,” he predicts. “They’re going to work on figuring

the rage—expect to see more and more of them. Dispensaries and retail stores offer everything from terpene concentrates and vaping liquids to terpene-infused cook-

out the potential of every cannabinoid in the plant.”

ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE is the author of the best-selling Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and the newly released Pot in Pans: A History of Eating Cannabis.

sensimag.com JULY 2019 43

44 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

JUPITER RESEARCH

Acquisition Expands Market Share For Jupiter Research IT’S A PERFECT MATCH BETWEEN A HOT SOFTWARE COMPANY AND ITS NEW HARDWARE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER.

Jupiter Research, one of the more established inhala-

Exchange. Just like that, as a result of the Tilt deal, Jupi-

tion and vaporization technology manufacturers, proved

ter is now part of a company trading on the Canadian

its value when it was acquired for $210 million in Jan-

stock exchange.

uary by Tilt. The vertically integrated infrastructure and

“We are developing products for Tilt focused on utiliz-

technology cannabis company provides value to all can-

ing the full supply chain to develop products important

nabis retailers through software, infrastructure, access to

to our portfolio of brands,” Strong says. “The new product

capital, and more.

landscape for us is adapting existing products that we

Jupiter had revenue of $105 million in 2018, according to a press release announcing the Tilt purchase. Jupiter manufactures three different styles, or platforms, of vaporizers, plus a fillable dose-specific cartridge.

have today and increasing the effectiveness of our products with the vast majority of oils on the market now.”

She says they are continually improving their products, including manufacturing with engineered ther-

Tilt is a Canadian company based out of Boston, ac-

moplastics that enhances the compatibility with a

cording to Kaila Strong, marketing director for Jupiter

wide variety of extracts. But there is a bit of a hitch in

Research. Tilt was looking for a deal with a hardware

the manufacturing process. “All of those components—

manufacturing company and noticed Jupiter, a com-

the cartridges and the batteries—are made in Shen-

pany that produces power supplies and cartridges for

zhen, China,” she says. “Chinese tariffs affected many

cannabis oil. “We have been getting integrated into that

manufacturers who are importing products, with the

company since January,” Strong says.

unfortunate result of increasing costs to customers. Ev-

Jupiter was founded in December 2015 and has 35 employees working out of its 12,000-square-foot Phoe-

eryone is in the same boat when it comes to batteries and cartridges and tariffs.”

nix headquarters, where it does customized bulk print-

Because it doesn’t make a plant-touching product, Ju-

ing and packaging for its line of vapes. There are also

piter can sell to other US states that allow shipping in

customer service and business development staff as well

vape products and export to other countries, such as Is-

as a full lab where the company conducts research and

rael, Argentina, and Chile, as well as countries in Europe.

development.

Tilt announced in early December that it had raised $119 million through an initial public offering, which enabled it to start trading on the Canadian Securities

For more information, visit:

JUPITERRESEARCH.COM sensimag.com JULY 2019 45

46 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

GREEN LEAF

Investing In The Future Starts With A Plan For The Present GREEN LEAF MONEY HELPS CANNABUSINESS SET UP A SOLID FINANCIAL PLAN TO MANAGE DEBT, MOVE CASH, AND BUILD REVENUE. If you have been in the cannabusiness for years, or want

credit based on their credit score. Credit score must be

to expand your new cannabusiness startup, financing

700 or higher, and the owner must have lower debt uti-

your operation is always at the top of your agenda.

lization and/or demonstratable ownership in a business

There is still a stigma surrounding the cannabis industry

entity. No collateral is required.

with several trapdoors on how money is made and spent

All qualified applicants could potentially get a line of

according to federal regulations making many financial

credit for no money down, and zero percent interest for 9

institutions wary of getting involved. Alternatively, if the fi-

to 18 months.

nancial service company does decide to take on a canna-

Green Leaf Money also offers cash option with personal

bis customer, that service company then justifies the risk

unsecured loans, based on tax returns and credit score.

by charging enormous fees for its services.

Loan rates are outstanding, ranging from 6.9 percent and

However, there is one financial services company that

13.9 percent with easy-to-repay terms of up to 5 to 7 years.

will treat every cannabusiness as a new, exciting enter-

Personal loan-seekers need to have a credit score of 680

prise that every entrepreneur recognizes is one of the fast-

or better, with lower debt utilization and/or ownership in

est growing cash-crop industries in the world today.

a business entity. There is no pre-payment penalty, and no

That company is Green Leaf Money.

Green Leaf Money offers cannabusiness developers working capital loans and credit lines for cannabusiness

collateral required.

Short on time? Then go to Green Leaf Money’s website and apply using a simple four-step process.

of various sizes, all based on personal guarantees. Their

Get your cannabusiness on the fast track today with

services help many cannabusiness companies secure

Green Leaf Money. Come by the office, call or go online now

funding and preserve equity.

to get a consultation and see how Green Leaf Money can

A line of credit enables any cannabis operator the financial freedom to explore business development oppor-

help you take care of your business and personal financial needs. Start living your financial dreams with confidence.

tunities, such as launching a marketing campaign, buying or leasing equipment, putting a down payment on a

Join Us: Funding Friday event

property, or helping the owners pay down some of those

July 26, 2019 // 12 Noon to 3 p.m. // 3900 S. Hualapai

startup expenses to preserve a steady cash flow.

Way // Las Vegas // RSVP: (702) 941-0100

Here’s how it works: A cannabusiness manager or owner simply visits with one of the Green Leaf Money representatives to set up a business and/or personal line of

For more information, visit:

GREENLEAFMONEY.COM sensimag.com JULY 2019 47

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL CLOUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AND HEW BURNEY

VEGAS UNSTRIPPED

The second-annual Vegas Unstripped took place in the backlot of Esther’s Kitchen in downtown Las Vegas. For the curated grassroots festival, local chefs were challenged to create dishes reflecting their unique culinary personalities. The event benefited Caridad, a nonprofit organization providing outreach to eradicate homelessness in the Valley.

48 JULY 2019 Las Vegas

Where: The Arts District When: May 11, 2019

sensimag.com JULY 2019 49

{HereWeGo }

by D E B B I E H A L L

For decades, the space at Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard was a parking lot. Then a food truck appeared, art installations from Burning Man sprung up, and Lyft Art Park transformed the space into an Instagrammable moment.

Phoenicopterus Rex, a 40-foot flamingo made from 15,000

ATTACK OF THE PINK FLAMINGO

pounds of steel, greets passersby. An art vehicle, Neverwas

Lyft Art Park transforms a parking lot into creative space.

Pabst Blue Ribbon neon sign shines day and night. Games

Haul, resembles a three-story, mobile Victorian home embracing history and fantasy. The self-propelled artwork is comprised of 75 percent recycled materials and is built on a fifthwheel trailer, measuring 24-feet-by-24-feet-by-12-feet. A such as beanbag toss mix with the art, adding to the fun factor The Lyft Art Park is free to the public 24/7. Pick-ups and drop-offs with the rideshare is conveniently located next door with a waiting room in a tricked-out Airstream trailer.

50 JULY 2019 Las Vegas