LOS ANGELES
THE NEW NORMAL
9.2019
BERLINERS
Where you get cultured
{plus} HIGHER ED
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ISSUE 9 //VOLUME 2 //9.2019
FEATURES 20 Tales from the Cenozoic Life through the creative lens.
38
SP EC IAL R EP OR T
Higher Ed
A college degree in cannabis is a real thing. And it’s a big sign the industry is legitimate.
20 PERSPECTIVE Life Through the Lens
26
GET SILLY The Cartoonist
every issue 9 Editor’s Note 11 The Buzz 16 TasteBuds
BEAUTIFUL BITES
26 HighProfile
CARTOONING: THE HOWELL WAY
30 TravelWell
CULTURED IN BERLIN
48 The Scene
MICROSCOPES AND MACHINES
50 HereWeGo
CURRENT LA: FOOD
Sensi magazine is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2019 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 7
sensi magazine ISSUE 9 / VOLUME 2 / 9.2019
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editor’s
EYES
NOTE
One night about 20 years ago, I was on a
walk with a friend. A brilliant cinematographer and photographer, he commented that where we were standing (the middle of a skydiving drop zone just after he had smoked a Cheech-size joint), it seemed there was nothingness. He said it so matter-of-factly, but then admitted at that moment he missed being in New York, surrounded by museums and tall buildings filled with stories. I put my arm around him and told him that if he just looked
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made that observation impactful, in that moment, I had blown cause it reminds him to take note of every mural, every shape and color, and every subtle hue of creativity—regardless of where he is. In Los Angeles, art is all around us. Art is the language we’ve come to understand as our truth. The street art represents the
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and vulnerability; we have museums that house contemporary, ing talent daring to share something new. Our story exists in the cracks of our buildings that tell the tales of people who were here decades before us. We have art institutes and public centers that encourage us all to express ourselves nonviolently, and we are the epicenter for the cinematic arts. This month, we celebrate the textures and variety that thrives in our great city. We honor the freedom to imagine through cartoonist Jay Howell, get a creative confession of sorts by a Cenozoic, find a weed museum, explore the underbelly of Berlin, and discover that beauty is so much more than what’s on the surface. May this month be one that inspires you to soar, believe, experiment, and inevitably to create. No matter what you’re going through, find your footing in a bit of cultural intrigue. Live passionately,
Dawn Garcia
M ANAG I NG E D I TO R
SENSI SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
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10 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
Water Lantern Festival Lighting the way. // September 28 // 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Lantern festivals are known for bringing people to-
of love and hope written on them and then rests them
gether to celebrate, mourn, appreciate, and liberate. Tak-
onto the water to be freed and released. It is a visually
ing place all around the world, the Water Lantern Fes-
stunning event that will create deeper connections with
tival—which USA Today named Best Cultural Festival—is
yourself and with others. Attendees can also rest easy
coming to San Diego. The festival is centered around
knowing the materials are sustainable and biodegrad-
peaceful, hopeful, shared experiences with friends, fam-
able and there will be devoted cleanups to ensure no
ily, and new people you have yet to meet. Once the sun
harm is done to Mother Earth.
sets, everyone lights their lanterns with special messages
WATERLANTERNFESTIVAL.COM // Tickets are $25-$40.
–Dawn Garcia
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 11
Abbot Kinney Festival
Abbot Kinney is one of the coolest blocks to visit in America, according to GQ, but if you live here, you know Abbot Kinney is way more than cool. The city-ordained block is home to multiple boutique shops, coffee houses, vegan markets, art galleries, and award-winning restaurants and bars. It’s also where creatives tend to flock to in droves. The Abbot Kinney Festival Association, now in its 35th year, is a free day-long celebration of community. There will be 350 vendors, food trucks, booths, kids’ games and rides, live music, and beer gardens, showcasing everything Venice Beach offers. The festival raises money for services and programs aimed at families and youth in the Venice area. –DG More information at ABBOTKINNEY.ORG
All My Friends Music Festival Music with your friends. // October 19 + October 20 // All Day Music Festival When the music plays, our bodies sway and the All My Friends Music Festival is calling. Created to foster new musical talent, it is the perfect excuse to get your friends together for a dance party. AMFMF was made by “fans who have turned their passion for music into their professions,” as stated on the event website. AMFMF was founded by the man behind Electric Daisy Carnival and HARD, Gary Richards, who wanted to create a music festival that nurtured creativity and brought music back to Los Angeles. This two-day festival takes place in the epic creative space ROW DTLA and is a 21+ event. For more information and music lineup, visit AMFDTLA.COM 12 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
–DG
PHOTOS OF 2018 ABBOT KINNEY FEST BY TEAM VENICE PAPARAZZI
Celebrating life in Venice. // September 29 // 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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immerse visitors in a series of interactive and informational exhibits that tell the story of the growers, stoners, and activists who expanded knowledge of the plant and kept the cannabis movement alive despite decades of government prohibition and propaganda.” While Barcelona has a Hemp Museum, this will be the first of its kind in the United States. All guests must be 18 years old or older and have a valid I.D. Drinks, café access, hors d’ouervres, and swag bags will be available for those who purchase $200 VIP tickets, but no cannabis or CBD products will be sold onsite. TICKETS $35–$200 // Hours of the museum viewings vary. WEEDMAPS.COM // 720 N. Cahuenga Blvd. // Hollywood
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The Moon Festival is a celebration of the second-most important festival in Chinese culture. The cultural significance of the festival is to honor the new moon in mid-autumn, said to be the brightest moon all year and a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family reunion. For its sixth year in a row, the festival will be held in Rosemead with a live on-stage performance in the evening, Asian street food, drink, and a mooncake giveaway. –DG Free admission. Located at Valley Boulevard (from Walnut Grove Ave. to Ivar Ave.) // EVENTBRITE.COM
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{tastebuds } by DAW N G A R C I A
BEAUTIFUL
BITES Four LA eateries you should try.
Los Angeles might very well have the greatest culinary terrain on the planet. Amid 4,751 square miles, LA is no ethnicity, boasting a journey of flavor that rivals much of the global culinary stage. In our sea of tasty eateries, bars, and even food trucks, our love of pretty things is exemplified in many of our chefs’ creations. In all the beautiful food we get to so readily consume in our great city, beauty is not spoon deep. The following restaurants are simply designed, bright and welcoming, and have menus that refuse to take the ingredients for granted. Now, that is beautiful.
HATCH
700 W. 7th St., Ste. G600 (DTLA) // HATCHYAKITORI.COM
HATCH Yakitori is a neighborhood eatery simply decorated with black tones and rich woods. The distinguishing cuisine, interesting Don’t Get Cocky bar program, and menu devoted to the art of Japanese yakitori offer a unique culinary experience. With seats at the bar and ample indoor and outdoor restaurant seating, HATCH is a refreshing departure from the traditional Japanese cuisine we’re used to. Located inside the Bloc, HATCH’s must-order menu items include black karaage chicken made using squid ink and grilled lime; smoky seaweed salad; the eggplant and miso stick; Hamachi with yuzu kosho and ponzu; and anything off of the continually evolving cocktail menu with 16 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
an emphasis on the Yuzu Sour and Tokyo Drift (which are aces). HATCH also serves a wealth of sakes, wines, and craft beer. The sweet finish: flan-tastic.
Bone Kettle
67 N. Raymond Ave. (Pasadena) // BONEKETTLE.COM
Leading the culinary charge at the family-owned Bone Kettle is chef Erwin Tjahyadi, who was recently named one of Zagat’s “30 Under 30” chefs to watch. After apprenticeships under Wolfgang Puck and Trey Foshee, Tjahyadi has crafted a menu that encompasses his travels throughout Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, and is
FLAN-TASTIC PHOTO (TOP) BY JAKOB LAYMAN VIA HATCH / BLACK RICE PUDDING PHOTO (BOTTOM) VIA BONE KETTLE
stranger to cuisine representing nearly every culture and
all about togetherness and stories told through cuisine. A few exceptional items are the fall-off-the-bone beef ribs
1525 Sunset Blvd. (Echo Park) // OSTRICHFARMLA.COM
served with bone marrow jus; fried onions topped with
Walking into Ostrich
herbs; gado gado (omit the quail eggs for a vegetarian op-
Farm, away from crowd-
tion); and fried potato ball krokets made with ground beef,
ed Sunset Boulevard, is
carrots, peas, and a pop of sweet pepper Hoisin sauce to
like taking a deep breath.
give Porto’s famous potato balls a run for the money. The
The light green hues and
sweet finish: cassava cake with ube ice cream.
white walls set the tone
Gracias Madres
8905 Melrose Ave. (West Hollywood) // GRACIASMADREWEHO.COM
If you want upscale vegetarian and vegan Mexican food, Gracias Madre is ground zero. Chef Chandra Gilbert believes we are what we eat, and uses only local ingredients from Be Love Farm. The menu is as whimsical as the space itself, offering plant-based twists on Mexican clasINTERIOR PHOTO (TOP) VIA OSTRICH FARM / EL PASTOR OLD-FASHIONED (LEFT) AND QUESADILLAS DE CALABAZA (RIGHT) VIA GRACIAS MADRES
Ostrich Farm
sics. The restaurant serves brunch, lunch, and dinner and has a cocktail program led by Maxwell Reis that serves small-batch primo tequilas and mezcals. The dishes are
for a relaxing meal. The menu consists of American fare, locally sourced and cooked on a wood-fire grill. While the dishes are mainly vegetarian, Ostrich Farm does serve meat and seafood dishes as well. Highlights include sweet potato, swiss chard, quinoa, grilled halloumi, and chimichurri bowl; warm olives bathing in rosemary and lemon zest; and grilled lamb chops with roasted apricots, crispy chickpeas, and spiced yogurt. Ostrich Farm also has an impressive cocktail program. Try the Rhum Floradora, Autumn Daisy, or Lucinda. The sweet finish: chocolate mousse pie.
made to appease the appetite and the eyes. Some can’tmiss dishes are sweet corn dusted in pumpkin seed Parmesan; beer-battered portobello tacos with paprika aioli; and enchiladas verde, made with zucchini, avocado, tomatillo, and potato and topped with cashew crema. For cocktails, try the Suffering Madre, El Pastor Old Fashioned, or La Quineañera. The sweet finish: lime avocado mousse.
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 17
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sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 19
NOTES FROM THE CENOZOIC Life through the creative lens. by A L L I E G O O D R I C H
20 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
THE LAST TIME I SAW MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE DIDN’T KNOW MY NAME. SHE WAS SITTING IN A WHEELCHAIR AT THE FOOT OF HER BED WITH A SOFT PINK BLANKET WRAPPED AROUND HER LEGS. I MUST HAVE BEEN 15; SHE WAS 85.
in the doorframe, she looked up and smiled, as if she could sense me there, just on the other side of a veil. Sometimes I think that somewhere, on a level deeper than she could communicate, she still knew me, even if this hint of recognition stemmed from a place too far away to break the surface. She could feel it; she just couldn’t speak to it. When I take a photograph, it is always informed by this sense of absence or loss. Like a memory, a photograph is defined as much by what appears inside the frame as
I hung back in the doorway as my aunt and uncles gath-
what exists out of sight. It is selective—a snapshot invit-
ered around her. A family photo album was spread across
ing more questions than answers. When I look at photo-
her lap, and although my aunt turned the yellowing pages
graphs of my grandparents now, I am reminded of all the
for my grandmother, there was no indication, other than a
gaps that exist between them. Everything I know about
vague, benign smile, that she knew who we were.
their lives is based on what others have told me, and
My grandfather once said, “When time passes into mem-
from what I’ve discovered through their collections of
ory, its rhythm goes to pieces. Memory is good at playing
letters and photos. The story I string together from what
tricks and reshuffling itself, like a deck of cards.” Watch-
they left behind will always feel incomplete.
ing as my grandmother looked through the photographs, I
Time, absence, and memory are all themes that influ-
imagined her memory as an island in a bank of fog, contin-
ence my approach to photography and film. I see them as
ually shifting in and out of sight. She was no longer certain
media through which I can work to establish a sense of
if the land was solid or if she was seeing shadows.
the rhythm my grandfather described as so easily broken. When I look through the lens of a camera, I am often
a painting on the wall without really seeing it. At some
trying to capture an idea or feeling. Sometimes, the si-
point, my father came out to bring me back; he said my
lence of communicating through aperture, shutter speed,
grandmother had noticed I was missing. When I appeared
focus, and composition can be a relief from words.
ALL PHOTOS BY ALLIE GOODRICH, ALLIEGOODRICH.COM
Eventually, I escaped into the hallway and stared at
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 21
22 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
I tend to focus on small things: details in nature or
parently, he had been fascinated by water and used to try
everyday life that strike me in some way, even if I can’t
to find the hidden patterns in deep water surfaces. He felt
explain it at the time. Between January and April of this
there had to be some kind of rhythm or pattern, and he
year, I walked to a stream along the side of a field in my
conducted little studies of his own in search of either.
hometown with the intention of photographing the mo-
For me, photography and film are studies in rhythm.
tion of the thawing water. Then something changed. I no-
One stops time; the other puts it on a loop. When I’m
ticed the patches of sunlight on the surface left strange
watching a film, the director’s sense of pacing is the un-
markings on the images, as if someone had scratched or
dercurrent that drives my emotional response. Some-
etched them there. My focus shifted. I kept returning to
times there is no dialogue in the scene. What makes it
the stream and observed that, depending on the time of
powerful is how the images have been welded into se-
day, temperature, and the nature of the current, the color
quence, and how, even when there are no words, there is
and patterns of movement and light would change.
still something—a thought, idea, or feeling—being com-
The camera was capturing something I otherwise
municated.
wouldn’t have known. The images that appeared in the
Like geology, photography and film are studies of
photographs seemed to echo many things all at once—
change across a span of time. They are tools we can use
weather systems, the cosmos, sparks, figures, and a spine.
to take a closer look at our world: the materials and struc-
In real time, what I saw was sunlight flickering on the
tures that compose it, the forces acting upon it, the people
surface of the stream. I felt like a biologist with a micro-
who inhabit it, the influence of the past on the future. A
scope. When encountered through the camera, the water
photograph can be a doorway into memory, but it’s never
and light transformed in unison. The world became more
certain how far back the passage will lead. Sometimes,
layered and fluid, even rhythmic, and I felt closer to it.
it is just a window, and I wonder if, when I look back at
When I sent these photos to one of my uncles, he wrote back wishing my grandfather could have seen them. Ap-
them, I’ll remember them as they were and what will be lost in my version of remembering. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 23
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{highprofile } by DAW N G A R C I A
CARTOONING: THE HOWELL WAY You already know cartoonist Jay Howell’s work—but do you know how it all began?
Life can be a catapult of chaos. Sometimes it takes the geniuses of animation and illustration to take us far from real-
ard and I, in San Francisco,” Howell says. “It’s really his show, I just drew it off of his brilliant vision.”
ity and show us life from a different perspective. Cartoonist
The odd and endearing Belcher family consists of Bob, his
Jay Howell is among those who see the world in wild ren-
wife Linda, and their children Gene, Tina, and Louise. Struggling
derings with the relatable yet slightly awkward characters in
to make the American Dream their reality, they run a burger
his imagination. Howell is the man behind the animation of
joint as a family, even when they annoy each other—which is
the hysterical and sardonic Belcher Family in Bob’s Burgers
often. The series’ stellar cast includes H. Jon Benjamin (also the
and the strangely twisted children’s show, Sanjay and Craig.
voice of Sterling Archer on Archer), Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman
Howell found cartoons to be a medium that made sense to him as a young child. “I started drawing very early in
(also the voice of Cecil in Season Eight of Archer), John Roberts, and Kristen Schaal (costar of Last Man on Earth).
life,” he says. “My mom bought me all these cool books
“[Bouchard] taught me everything I needed to know
called How to Draw 100 Freaks and How to Draw Cartoons.
about TV,” Howell says. “The characters came out of
She bought me a ton of Garfield and Far Side books. That
weeks and months of crazy hard work. I’m still amazed it
stuff really spoke to me.”
happened. It’s one of my best moments.”
His career has evolved steadily, but it’s his unrelent-
Howell’s unique style combines humor and joy with a tinge
ing happiness that exudes from the characters he draws,
of twisted. He recalls the first live comedy routine he ever
whether for the screen, a brand partnership, or restaurant
heard. “Easy. Neil Hamburger. He’s always been crazier than
murals. Howell’s style is easily recognizable by the lanky features and twisted yet oddly optimistic expressions of his characters. His style developed from self-awareness. “Looking in the mirror is the best art supply on earth,” Howell says. “I’m always making the same expression as the character I’m trying to draw. I’m an extremely happy person, like a cool sociopath. I put as much as possible into my work, and I’m happy it shows.” His character studies began long before he knew what he’d be doing as a career, starting with Saturday morning cartoons. When he was growing up in the ‘80s, Howell looked
“I’m an extremely happy person, like a cool sociopath.” —Jay Howell
forward to waking up early to watch The Smurfs, Snorks, Transformers, G.I. Joe, X Men, Jem, Batman, Plastic Man, Wacky
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANIMATOR/ARTIST JAY HOWELL
Races, and more. “All Saturday cartoons really,” he says. (Editor’s Note: If you haven’t watched Plastic Man, do so immediately. He was legit and one of the first cartoon superheroes of the DC Universe to use humor as part of his character.) Howell was inspired by old-school cartoons and legendary cartoonists; the first animation that made him feel understood and curious was Pink Panther. “The colors and the animation still really get me,” he says. “I’ll watch them a few times a year, still.” Those vibrant colors can be seen in Howell’s animated series Bob’s Burgers. What began as a silly idea in creator Loren Bouchard’s mind came to life when he and Howell decided to work together on the show. “We started it, just Loren Bouchsensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 27
everyone, and he continues to influence and inspire me.” Hamburger is a fictional comedic character known as America’s funny man—created by Gregg Turkington —whose anti-comedy style has been winning over audiences since 1992. Howell’s element of comedy also came to life with children’s show Sanjay and Craig. Created and developed by Jim Dirschberger, Andreas Trolf, and Howell, the show was meant to be fan zine but soon became a beloved Nickelodeon show that aired from 2013 to 2016. “It was a zine I made when I lived in Sacramento years and years ago,” Howell says. “It was originally about a snake charmer and his buddy getting up to no good in their off hours. I rewrote it, and it became a kids’ show. Wild stuff.”
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That kind of wild opportunity is the stuff his career has been made of. Influenced by so many before him, he recalls the wildly bizarre MAD magazine. “I just love Sergio Aragones more than anything.” Aragones is a Hispanic cartoonist best known for his work in MAD, a magazine for people who gravitate toward the strange and unusual. In addition to animated TV series and incredibly cool illustrations, Howell also
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does murals. At Birba, the restaurant in the Alcazar Palm Springs hotel, a mural
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“I’m always making the same expression as the character I’m trying to draw.” —Jay Howell
Q & Jay Q: You clarify that you are not an artist, but rather a cartoonist. Of all the great cartoonists over time, who would you call your top five? What would you want to talk to them about, if you could? JAY: Matt Groening, Gary Larson, Jim Davis, Jack Kirby, and Tove Jansson. As famous as I could ever get, I would never care about me. I am an observer and a nobody. Maximum effort, ultimate humility. Fly on the wall, listening and then forgetting it all.
Q: What new projects are you working on? JAY: A lot of stuff with Vans Shoes, Adult Swim, and making a ton of cool mistakes.
Q: If you could give an aspiring cartoonist some words of wisdom and insider nuggets, what would you say? JAY: I used to be afraid I was not a good artist. Cartoonists don’t have to be.
distinguished with the characteristics Howell is known for adorns the main wall near the bar and kitchen. The mural features a crowd with the visual nuances, gestures and bright colors that immediately cue his original work. When asked what inspired the mural, Howell candidly says it is Alcazar’s hotel and restaurant owner, Tara Lazar. “She has always been a huge supporter who has believed in me from the beginning,” he says. “When you make a creative friendship connection like that, then the other stuff is easy. It’s her fault it works so well.” And it does work. Howell’s creations resonate with a universal crowd. The characters he imagines have this normalcy and exceptionalism that make his work so recognizable. He has a way of drawing characters we understand and can see bits of ourselves in, including the joy so evident in all of his creations— even the dark ones. JAYHOWELLART.BLOGSPOT.COM // @PUNKSGITCUT
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 29
{travelwell } by DAW N G A R C I A
CULTURED IN
BERLINERS EMBODY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALIVE. Berlin is a city that most of the world has heard of in
the seventh most populous urban region. With a growing
one way or another. It is a city that brings to mind the
population, a growing number of start-ups, and a contin-
communist-fueled Berlin Wall that thankfully met its
ual increase in birth rate, Berlin is abundant. There are 3.5
end in 1989. Berlin also brings to mind films like Caba-
million residents in Berlin, many under the age of 44.
ret, Octopussy, and Run, Lola, Run. All three films feature
Germany is often referred to as the green country. Its
the magnificent city at various times in history from the
acres of lush landscapes and bright yellow flowers burst-
1970s to the late 1990s, and each one—much like the
ing from the ground like sunshine are an airy welcome
city itself—discusses everything from espionage to hu-
from Mother Nature. It is the most apropos introduction
man rights.
to a region unafraid of shedding its troubled past and
Berlin has come a long way from the days of the op-
giving birth to a sea of creativity. But perhaps the most
pressive rule and is now a hotbed for young creatives,
prominent aspects of this great city exist in the people,
entrepreneurs, and families. It also happens to be one of
the art, the culinary scene, and the culture that is continu-
the more diverse cities in the European Union, ranking
ally reinventing itself.
30 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
THE CULTURE At any time of day, if you step out onto the streets of Berlin you’ll find people gathered at a local pubs or cafés, talking, laughing, drinking Riesling or a lager, or enjoying schnitzel or a pretzel or the simply decadent Berliner (which translates
PHOTO BY DAWN GARCIA
to donut). There is a clear sense of community here.
look down as you stroll the stone-lined streets that round
As for culinary exploration, Berlin is home to more than
and curve, you’ll notice gold-like squares. These 10-by-10
20 Michelin-starred restaurants including the most recent
brass-plated concrete stone squares called Stolpersteine
additions: Ernst, Savu and Finnish, CODA Dessert Dining,
honor the lives of those who were persecuted under Hit-
and Kin Dee. The cuisine in Berlin is a cultural adventure in
ler. No matter where in Berlin you go, you’ll see visual cues
and of itself.
making it clear: they will never allow themselves to forget. In
Berlin has a rather brutal past, but rather than mask
the words of local tour guide extraordinaire Henrik Tidefjärd,
its history, Berliners have chosen to honor the fallen and
“Berliners never want to forget our past. It’s the only way to
make reparation for those who came before them. If you
make sure nothing like that ever happens again.” sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 31
32 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
Want a Rare View of Berlin?
Few people can give you the cultural experience of a lifetime like Henrik Tidefjärd, owner of Berlinagarten, a tour agency specializing in unique cultural, culinary, art, and entertainment experiences. “We are not sauerkraut. We’re not a bland tour guide company providing you with stodgy German meals or generic low-budget programs,” says Tidefjärd. “Authentic Berlin lives in dark alleyways, hidden courtyards, along canals, in graffiti-covered buildings, weekend clubs, hidden bars and dining rooms, in artist and designer studios, spread all over culturally diverse neighborhoods…you’ve just got to know where to find them! That’s where we come in.”
ART EXEMPLIFIES BERLIN With over 170 art galleries and museums, each embodying visual storytelling from unique perspectives, art runs through Berlin like oxygen through its veins. Throughout Berlin you’ll find post-war revivals like Pleasure Gardens, intended for the dreamers and poets who see the world through a more romantic lens. The garden is located in the center of Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where old buildings with outer façades still have embedded bullet holes from bygone wars. There are five museums on Museum Island, with works from the Byzantium and Ancient Egypt, the famed Nefertiti, and the Pergamon Altar.
UrbanNation
FIVE MUST-SEE CULTURAL SITES No. 1: The Bunker This underground art gallery holds a private collection curated by owner Christian Boros. The Bunker was a refuge from air raids in the 1940s, but over time became a warehouse for Cuban produce in the late 1950s, and then a fetish club in the 1990s. The Bunker now houses art from 1990 by artists who were friends of Boros. Due to the na-
Tidefjärd Recommends:
ture of the confined, old space, the tours are scheduled at
Berlin Art Week // September 11–15 (BERLINARTWEEK.DE )
specific times and limited to groups of around 10 people.
Berlin Story (BERLINSTORY.DE )
SAMMLUNG-BOROS.DE
Nineties (NINETIES.BERLIN.DE ) 100 Years Bauhaus (BAUHAUS.DE ) Urban Nation (URBAN-NATION.COM ) Gruen Berlin Creative Public Space (GRUEN-BERLIN.DE ) Gedenkstätte (STIFTUNG-HSH.DE/EN ) Julie Stoschek Collection (JSC.BERLIN ) Kicken Gallery (KICKEN-GALLERY.COM ) Urban Spree // A Shared Createive Space (URBANSPREE.COM) Rooftop Bar Berlin: Klunkerkranich (KLUNKERKRANICH.ORG )
No. 2: The East Side Gallery The history of the Berlin Wall—built during the time of the Iron Curtain emerging in February 1990—is a prominent site attraction for tourists and locals alike, located in Mühlenstraße in Berlin Friedrichshain. This street art installation represents a peaceful end to a long struggle between East and West Berlin, and is made of remaining pieces of the Wall UrbanSpree
Book a tour with Henrik, and you’ll always remember the beautiful and often undiscovered underbelly of Berlin. // BERLINAGENTEN.COM
that were graffitied during times of oppression. Stretching over 1,300 meters, it’s the largest open air art gallery in the world. Each block of the wall has its own story. It’s one of the most intricate expressions of art showing both the hope and chaos of the time. EASTSIDEGALLERY-BERLIN.COM sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 33
34 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
3
2
5
No. 3: Graffiti Alley
to immortalize the homosexuals persecuted by the Nazis.
Street art is a constructive way to express fear, won-
Its design is intentionally skewed, with one small window
derment, angst, and unspoken ideals for young artists
giving a glimpse of couples kissing. The looping video reel
overlooked by the mainstream, higher-echelon art world.
will show two men or two women in beautiful moments
Located in the Hackescher Markt in Berlin off of Rosen-
of passion. This video alternates out every two years.
thaler Straße, Graffiti Alley is part of Hackeschen Höfe, a series of art nouveau courtyards interconnected with din-
No. 5: Me Collectors Room
ing, shopping, and entertainment. The walls are covered
This art gallery in Berlin Mitte doesn’t merely showcase
top-to-bottom with graffiti art by artists such as El Bo-
art that is globally impactful, but also runs local and inter-
cho, Miss Van, and Stinkfish, including Jimmy C’s famous
national art programs for children in remote parts of the
painting of Anne Frank. Each artist has a statement to
world who would otherwise never have access to art. The
make, whether social or political, heartbroken or riddled
exterior is a modern design that appears to be an encased
with optimism. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the psyches
stacking of containers, but its open feel with sprawling
of extraordinarily talented street artists given a space to
glass windows is inviting. From the moment you enter
freely express themselves.
through the me café, the artwork displayed, from its exhi-
You can meander through galleries housed within the
bitions to its permanent collection, will captivate you.
once-residential living space that climbs three to four
The Me Collectors Room features a range of rarely-seen
stories. There is also a monster basement, MonsterK-
private collections on loan, Renaissance art from the Ba-
abinett (MONSTERKABINETT.DE), filled with monsters craft-
roque period, and a youth program with art created by
ed out of old machinery. Part of the Hackeschen Höfe is
children from kindergarten age to teenagers. The gallery
a cinema house Kino Central (KINO-CENTRAL.DE) that has
also holds public lectures by collectors, experts, and art-
weekly showings of primarily international art-house and
ists, as well as concerts, culinary events, and more as part
art-centric films. The story behind the Hackeschen Höfe
of its Olbricht Foundation, which is invested in bringing art
is worth taking the time to learn about (VISITBERLIN.DE/EN/
into the lives of everyone. ME-BERLIN.COM
HACKESCHE-HOFE).
Exploring these cultural sites adds layers upon layers of No. 4: The LGBT Memorial
depth to the troubled and stoic history of Berlin. Art has
Once upon a time in Berlin, the LGBT community had
become a voice of the people, a link to the past, a rectify-
to hide in the shadows. Now Berlin is among the most
ing of bad times, and hope for what is possible. To learn
modern, LGBT-friendly cities in Europe. That is profound-
more about the memorials and cultural highlights ex-
ly evident in the LGBT Memorial, built in the city center
posed through art and architectural sculptures in Berlin,
designed by artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset
visit STIFTUNG-DENKMAL.DE. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 35
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sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 37
SPEC IAL REPORT
Higher Education A college degree in cannabis is a real thing. And it’s a big sign the industry is legitimate. by S T E P H A N I E W I L S O N
Full disclosure: WHEN I WAS GETTING MY DEGREE IN JOURNALISM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST, I NEVER ONCE IMAGINED THAT I’D PUT IT TO USE ONE DAY IN THE LEGAL CANNABIS INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH, TECHNICALLY, I’M NOT IN THAT INDUSTRY TODAY. As the editor in chief of this magazine, I oversee a team
job market for the cannabis industry. The research found
of editors making a series of city lifestyle magazines
that between December 2017 and December 2018, the
covering markets across the country. Those magazines,
number of job listings increased by 76 percent, covering
like the one you’re reading now, appeal to advertisers in
highly diverse roles, from marketing to retail to research
the cannabis industry—companies eager to reach you,
to agriculture to technology, logistics, and law. It con-
dear reader, and introduce you to their newly legal and
cludes that “workers with higher education and skills in
therefore probably newly launched brand.
fields as varied as marketing, horticulture, and logistics
But technically, I don’t work in cannabis. My job is
will only be more desirable as the industry grows.”
indirectly related, my company ancillary. But it’s still
Even now, those skills are in high demand. Cannabis
part of a growing stat, a field that just a few years ago
industry employers struggle to find qualified applicants
didn’t exist but now is the fastest growing industry in
to fill specific roles that require specialized knowledge—
the US. There are more than 211,000 Americans working
broad-based understanding and highly specific skills.
There are now more legal cannabis industry workers than dental hygienists in the United States. full-time in the booming industry, directly employed in
Reacting to that employer demand, schools in the US
cannabis. When ancillary jobs such as mine are taken
are stepping up, introducing cannabis curriculum to
into account, that becomes 296,000.
help prepare students to enter the $14-billion-and-rising
That means in the US there are now more legal can-
global industry as trained professionals. From certifi-
nabis industry workers than dental hygienists. Than
cate programs to master’s degrees, with everything in
brewery workers (69,000) and coal miners (52,000) and
between, higher learning is here.
textile manufacturers (112,000). These figures come from
The first four-year undergraduate degree dedicated to
a March 2019 special report by cannabis website Leafly
teaching students about the cannabis industry was intro-
with consultancy Whitney Economics, which looked at
duced fall 2017 at Northern Michigan University, under
the stats the US Bureau of Labor Statistics won’t touch,
the innocuously titled Medicinal Plant Chemistry. Derek
given that cannabis is still illegal on a federal level. But
Hall, a spokesperson for NMU, says Professor Brandon
that isn’t stopping it from booming growth, decreased
Canfield suggested the idea for a medicinal plant chem-
stigma, and skyrocketing interest from all sides.
istry degree program after attending a conference. “He
As of September 2019, 11 states and Washington, DC have
came back thinking it was a place for us to step in. On
legalized cannabis for adult-use, and 34 more have legalized
the one side, you have the growers, and on the other side
medical use in some capacity. Legal cannabis sales in 2018
you have the users. In between, you have a chemistry lab
topped $10.8 billion. The job market is heating up, and the
measuring compounds—how much and what is being
demand for educated employees grows higher every day.
used. Those are the people we are interested in.”
It’s a wide-ranging industry, and there are a lot of career
The degree program offers two different tracks: bio-an-
paths one could take within it. Beyond the obvious—dis-
alytical and entrepreneurial. The program description
pensary manager, budtender, grower, trimmer—there are
mentions that the additional focus means graduates will
a ton of opportunities in the field. Career website Glass-
not only be qualified to perform the instrumental analy-
door released a report earlier this year on the state of the
sis in a laboratory, but “will also be empowered to build sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 39
Brand Development Graphic Design Product & Brand Development Trade Show Produccon Business Development
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Photography Graphic Design Photog raphy Zero BS
www.inclusivecannabis.com 40 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
their own testing laboratory, dispensary, and growing
up for the program in the fall of 2017, when it opened
operation from the ground up.”
to grads and undergrads. A year later, there were 225.
When the school announced the program, it wasn’t ex-
“We’re pulling in students from all over the country.”
pecting much interest, but it proved to be quite a viral
Minot State in North Dakota introduced a similar pro-
topic. Hall says a lot of people were looking for a cre-
gram this year, making it only the second college to offer
dential to help them get into the cannabis industry. “We
a four-year degree program specializing in cannabis. In
fielded a ton of calls from people who were serious about
the Rocky Mountain region, Colorado State University,
it. One interesting thing is we had a lot of students who
Pueblo, offers a minor in Cannabis Studies, with courses
said, ‘My parents suggested it.’ A lot of others said they
focused on cannabis and its social, legal, historical, po-
knew people who had benefited from the medicine.”
litical, and health-related impact on society. The degree
It’s a very demanding program. “The heavy chemistry
brochure mentions that “as part of a Hispanic Serving
requirements are mind-boggling. Kids who are there are
Institution, there is an emphasis on understanding and
very, very serious,” Hall says. About 20 people signed
appreciating the impact cannabis has had on the Chicano/Chicana community and other regional populations of the Southwestern United States.” In New York, SUNY Morrisville is introducing a Cannabis Industry minor this fall semester that combines courses in agricultural science, horticulture, and business programs. It also includes hands-on instruction in cultivating cannabis plants with less than 0.3 percent THC, thanks to the school’s license to grow hemp. In June 2019, University of Maryland announced the
“On the one side, you have the growers, and on the other side you have the users. In between, you have a chemistry lab measuring compounds… Those are the people we are interested in.”
country’s first postgraduate program in the field, a mas-
—Derek Hall, Northern Michigan University
ational and/or medical purposes.” The university, along
ter’s of science in Cannabis Science and Therapeutics. Associate degrees in the field are offered at Stockton University in New Jersey and at Philadelphia’s University of Sciences, where students can earn an associate degree in Cannabis Health Therapy. Even the Ivy League is getting into the field. Cornell launches “Cannabis: Biology, Society, Industry” course this fall, with plans to introduce a master’s in cannabis next year. That program is said to have an emphasis on oral and written communication skills with media and industry stakeholders, according to reports from Quartz. At Harvard, law students in a Cannabis Law class last spring considered “criminal law enforcement, land use, civil rights, banking, and other issues arising from the cultivation, distribution and use of marijuana for recrewith MIT, received a $9 million alumni donation this summer earmarked for independent research on the influence of cannabis on brain health and behavior. The University of Vermont’s pharmacology course in Medical Cannabis is considered the first of its kind at a US academic institution, and the medical school is also the first to offer a professional certificate in cannabis and medicine. And it’s fully online, led by faculty from the college, geared toward teaching doctors, pharmacists, nurses, PAs—medical professionals—what wasn’t on the course lists whenever and wherever they earned their degrees. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 41
42 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
Cannabis courses are popping up in undergrad and grad-
To create the curriculum, Seaborn had to start from
uate programs at schools coast to coast, from UConn (Hor-
scratch. “When you teach a course, you use standard
ticulture of Cannabis: From Seed to Harvest) to UC, Davis
materials. In this area, there is no road map. You have to
(Cannabis sativa: The Plant and its Impact on People). Even
figure it out on your own.” Seaborn drew on people work-
more institutions have launched certificate programs cov-
ing in the new Colorado industry as guest speakers, and
ering a range of topics. Clark University in Worcester, MA,
found many eager to help. Business Insider reports that
introduced the country’s first certificate program in can-
the semester culminates with a field trip to Sweet Grass
nabis control regulation. University of Las Vegas runs the
Kitchen, where students tour the facility and hear from
Cannabis Academy through its continuing education divi-
management, including marketing director Jesse Burns.
sion, with classes in cannabis and the opioids epidemic, cannabis professionals, and pets and cannabis.
Burns has an MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. “It’s been the foundation that I’ve built my career
Professor Paul Seaborn has taught a class titled the
on,” Burns says. “The skills I acquired helped me do the
Business of Marijuana at University of Denver’s Daniels
best and become successful and achieve goals. Having
College of Business for a few years now. Seaborn says af-
that formal education helped me see the bigger picture
ter legalization in Colorado in 2012, it seemed like a good
and helped give me the confidence to make the best deci-
idea to approach the topic from an entrepreneurial point
sions.” And as the manager, he does a lot of the hiring. He
of view. He offered the first class in 2017, and it was the
is so very excited to see more qualified applicants enter
only accredited business school offering a class in can-
the field—ones with an education specific to the industry.
nabis at the time, open to undergrads and grads. “I’ve never had as many different people—alumni, staff members, parents, students—who showed interest.” The cannabis industry needs people who have general
“A lot of students are ready,” says Seaborn. “It’s a question of universities catching up to them.” Leland Rucker contributed reporting to this article.
business skills to help those who don’t. “A student might have a marketing or finance or accounting major, but we’re adding on to that with history and regulation, so we can get the best candidates who can hit the ground running,” says Seaborn. “It’s a steep learning curve, and the competition has gotten more fierce. It’s not guaranteed success. The bar keeps rising, and the more you can be prepared, the better.”
“It’s a steep learning curve, and the competition has gotten more fierce. The bar keeps rising, and the more you can be prepared, the better.” —Paul Seaborn, University of Denver sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 43
44 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 45
46 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
GENIUS PRODUCTS
Genius Cannabis FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE RIGHT CUSTOMER.
As matchmakers around the world say, “There’s a lid
The plan is to launch additional brands later this
for every pot.” That’s true even in cannabis. The fast-grow-
summer, with a focus on reaching the natural wellness
ing industry has said goodbye to the days of marijuana
market. That includes casual consumers looking to in-
as a blanket term for whatever wound up in the bottom
troduce CBD products such as skincare into their daily
of a plastic baggie and is becoming a forward-think-
routines and debuting multiple entries into the food
ing industry. Cannabis brands can more clearly identify
and beverage space.
who their customers are and exactly what they want. At
At Genius Products, the secret sauce is more than just
the forefront of this new focus on targeted marketing
creating new brands to target different customer seg-
is Genius Products, the Los Angeles-base parent com-
ments. Instead of cobbling together a supplier network,
pany producing cannabis-based brands that appeal to
the company is truly vertically integrated, overseeing
every segment of the cannabis market.
the entire product lifecycle from seed to shelf. It grows
“The next phase of cannabis growth mirrors the cu-
its own cannabis and hemp on organic farms that are
linary world,” says Chris Clifford, CEO of Genius Prod-
committed to sustainability. It has dedicated design
ucts. “Everyone has their own tastes, and our goal is to
teams dreaming up new product lines, and Genius has
make the right products for every flavor of cannabis
its first two brick-and-mortar dispensaries opening in
consumer.”
Los Angeles later this summer to be one-stop shops for
It’s the same approach that beer giants like Anheus-
Genius Products.
er-Busch, InBev, and SABMiller take: find your customer
“I think the best way to find success with any product
by tailoring brands to specific identities. To that end,
is to try to impact the entire process from start to finish,”
Genius Products has a range of brands focused on THC,
says Clifford. Genius Products will launch more brands
CBD, and natural hemp. Gen!us THC, its first foray into
in the cannabis market. With Genius Products, seed to
the market, launched in May at Hall of Flowers in Santa
shelf is the company ethos, and it’s all about finding the
Rosa, California. The brand’s tagline is “Strains for Brains”,
right seeds for the right shelves.
and it caters to the creative professional by using high art collaborations with cannabis-inspired photographers Maggie West and Justin Jerrod. The idea behind Gen!us THC is that there’s a genius inside everyone. Its
For more information, visit:
GENIUSTHC.COM
THC products are geared towards unlocking this potential. The goal is to connect with agency creative directors, writers, executives, and other professionals who incorporate cannabis into their lives as a healing mechanism without letting it interfere with their work. “We want to provide a level of sophistication with our products,” says Clifford. The look and feel of Gen!us THC aligns with that goal. Packaging comes in bright, Instagram-friendly colors and the products themselves range from flower and pre-rolls to vape cartridges and disposable vape pens. sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 47
MICROSCOPES AND MACHINES
In the heart of downtown, the public gathered to listen to a panel of 15 guest speakers talking about hemp and cannabis science, technology and manufacturing, education, and how to apply that to your cannabis business. Called Microscopes and Machines in honor of the medical advancements cannabis has been instrumental in providing
PHOTOGRAPHY BY OMAR SAAR
and because, like everything, cannabis relies on the supply chain, which often relies on the latest in tech and manufacturing. The event brought science and nature together through candid conversations, eye-opening information, and inviting like-minded individuals to network, learn, and grow as a community. MICROSCOPEANDMACHINES.COM @SENSIMAGAZINE @MICROSCOPESANDMACHINES @LEAFOVERBEEF
48 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
Where: Grass Room DTLA // 616 E 4th Street // Los Angeles When: July 27, 2019
sensimag.com SEPTEMBER 2019 49
{HereWeGo } by DAW N G A R C I A
Art is the voice of this city. It is used to find grounding, to speak out, to provoke civic discourse, and to bring us together. The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
a human family,” says Danielle Brazell, general manager
is designed to do precisely that, and as a result has funded
of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
a new creative program called CURRENT:LA. In each of the
“We hope residents and visitors alike will experience as
city’s 15 council districts, local, national, and international
many of these unique events as they can, exploring the
artists and creative groups will take on the topic of food.
art, the urgent issues, and the city itself.”
The exhibitions will be month-long installations through-
Working with Mayor Eric Garcetti and several other
out the city. Much like a family gathers in the kitchen, these
city organizations, including the Institute of Contempo-
exhibitions will create a new dialogue by introducing and
rary Art, this project will share work from multiple artists
educating locals about urban agriculture, food distribu-
showcasing our relationship to food as well as one anoth-
tion systems, food equity, and food deserts. From October
er. This multiculturally inclusive public art experience fea-
5 through November 3, Angelenos are invited to inspire
tures a vegan food experience; bread workshops rooted
neighborhoods and help change the infrastructures that
in South American, Middle Eastern, and African traditions;
inhibit people from accessing quality food and produce.
Foodscapes Festival; solar cooking workshops; The Art of
Few things are as effective and necessary as food. It is
Food; a sound performance with tea service; a Sustainable
imperative to our survival, yet too few communities in the
Urban Food Systems Summit; Rainbow Feast; a Muscle
city have access to better choices. CURRENT: LA FOOD
House Cookbook performance series; and a Family + Food
aims to change that. “By offering events for free in public
= Love: A Parent Appreciation Picnic.
parks, CURRENT:LA FOOD invites people to engage with food issues, building a civic dialogue that challenges us as 50 SEPTEMBER 2019 Los Angeles
For a local roster of what’s happening in your neighborhood, visit CURRENTLA.ORG or @CURRENTLA on social.
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