Sensi Magazine - Coachella Valley (February 2020) by Sensi Magazine

I C OAC H E L L A VA L L E Y F E B 2020

WONDERS NEVER CEASE

Alberto Acosta is the man behind the Museum of Ancient Wonders

COLIVING IT UP

Find friends and save money in shared spaces

HIGHER LOVE

The amorous side of cannabis

One ingredient, one great product. Highlandoilco.com

@Highlandoilco

License Number: C11-0000356-LIC

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COACHELLA VALLEY SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

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F E AT U R E S

Wonders Never Cease

Alberto Acostaʼs collection of museum-quality artifacts find a home in the Valley.

In Living Color

Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel.

SPECIAL REPORT

Higher Love

Explore the amorous side of cannabis.

D E PA R T M E N T S

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

to keep you in the loop KICK START A new book explores the history and industry of running shoes. NOW OPEN Ribbon cutting at Steve DeAngelo’s new Harborside venture BEHIND THE SCENES Locally filmed movie Pay Dirt SUNKEN TREASURE Quality shades made of recycled ocean trash GREENER PASTURES

A Humboldt county native moves her grow business to the desert.

16 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness IN GOOD COMPANY Coliving spaces offer a solution to pricey housing and the loneliness epidemic.

40 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town RECIPE A toast to lovers, complete with avocado CALENDAR There’s a little something for everyone to love this month.

ON THE COVER Meet Alberto Acosta, the man behind the stunning collection of perfect replica artifacts at the Museum of Ancient Wonders. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH CLARK ORIGINAL PHOTO BY GARY D. LOPEZ

50 THE END

The Aerial Tramway is what’s up. (Unless it’s coming back down.)

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Green Pearl Organics Desert Hot Springs; Recreational Dispensary

Americaʼs Best Cannabis Cannabis Derived Terpenes

Highland Oil Co. Premium Vape Cartridges

Canna Management Group Cannabis Management Company

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The Lighthouse Palm Springs & Coachella; Cannabis Dispensary The Micro Buddery Micro Business Nug Digital Marketing Marketing & Advertising Agency ONIT Sciences Cannabis Investments PNS Ventures Cathedral City; Recreational Dispensary Rukli Distribution Company TKO Products, LLC. Infused Baked Goods Wana Brands Edible Gummies West Coast Cannabis Club Palm Desert; Recreational Dispensary

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Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Sat Panesar Managing Editor sat.panesar@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief

Aaron H. Bible, Dan McCarthy, Leandra Romero Contributing Writer DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Kiara Lopez Designer Josh Clark Designer Jason Jones Designer em@sensimag.com PUBLISHING Greg Jelden Co-Publisher greg.jelden@sensimag.com Jason Zahler Co-Publisher jason.zahler@sensimag.com Quentin Dusastre Associate Publisher quentin dusastre@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

February.

It’s the month of

Presidents’ Day sales and romantic Valentine’s overtures in the form of chocolates, flowers, and Starbucks gift cards. Here in the Coachella Valley, February is filled with Modernism Madness for the midcentury architecturally keen, county fairs, date festivals, and, for business owners, the start of high season—that much-anticipated window of opportunity during which the nation’s affluent and folks from colder climes congregate to enjoy the pool-friendly weather of the desert. It’s a time restaurants are packed, hotels are at 100 percent capacity, and success is everywhere. At Sensi, we cover these annual signature events and lifestyles, hopefully bringing a fresh perspective. We also look for stories on less-traveled paths. Cases in point: in this issue, we bring you accounts of local entrepreneurs launching local ventures, follow the adventures of the recently transplanted, and help you discover why successful executives from every field are choosing Coachella Valley to bring it all home. And why Sensi? Because this magazine was born with the express purpose of sharing the health and wellness and medicinal benefits that CBD and cannabis can bring. And the businesses, the brands, the entrepreneurs, the executives moving this industry forward, they’re in our contact list. It’s our authenticity and our network that makes us unique. So, bookmark us. Make us a habit. Pick up a copy on the first of each month. Pick up two and share. I guarantee that with our content, our events, and our partners in the industry, you’ll get expert advice and insider intel on all things plant-based health and wellness in the Valley—without having to give your search history over to Google and Facebook. By the way, nice to meet you. I’m Sensi’s new managing editor for the Coachella Valley.

I guarantee that with our content, our events, and our partners in the industry, you’ll get expert advice and insider intel on all things plantbased health and wellness in the Valley.

Peace,

Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Sat Panesar sat.panesar@sensimag.com F EBRUARY 2020

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CONTRIBUTORS

Aaron H. Bible, Leandra Romero, Doug Schnitzspahn, Stephanie Wilson

TecnicaĘźs Origin is a high-tech custommoldable trail shoe.

A new book explores the intrigue of the running shoe. In Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture & Cool of Running Shoes, author Brian Metzler delves deep into the stories and hype of shoes and brands that have made running cool. He examines every facet of the rise and innovation of running shoes through ma12 COAC H EL L A VA LLEY

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jor cultural fads, attempts at injury prevention, and techy experiments done in the name of speed and performance. Metzler went overseas to factories where shoes are built and into brickand-mortar shops facing extinction. He interviewed

Olympians, ultrarunners, and other celebrities of the sport like Kara Goucher, Scott Jurek, and Deena Kastor. Metzler is a sports journalist who has tested more than 1,500 pairs of running shoes and has raced every distance from 50 yards to 100 miles.

CBD villages are popping up at local events all around the Valley. Last month, a gathering of CBD brands made waves at the Live Well Festival in Palm Desert, featuring names like Papa & Barkley, Wyld, Kings Garden, House of Lucidity, and West Coast Cannabis Club. These CBD stations have products to try out and buy as well as free massages to reduce stress and loosen up those muscles.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TECNICA

CALLING ALL SNEAKERHEADS

It Takes a Village

BY THE NUMBERS

Ranking of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert in USA Todayʼs Top 20 zoos in America

MAKING THE CUT

In December 2019, we sat down with Harborside founder and cannabis visionary, Steve DeAngelo, who won lifetime achievement honors at the Cannabis Business Awards in Vegas that same month. Now his 4,800-square-foot facility, Harborside, has finally opened its doors in Desert Hot Springs. “The Valley is growing into a world-class center of both the cannabis industry and cannabis tourism, so itʼs an ideal location to introduce the legendary Harborside retail model and inhouse brands to a wider population,” DeAngelo says. “Weʼre also bringing some things that the Valley hasnʼt seen yet, like our drive-through and an on-site holistic healing clinic.”

“Life is so harsh and distressing that people who can manufacture romance or conjure up fantasy are like oases in the desert: Everyone flocks to them.”

350 EVENTS Number of happenings that will take place during Modernism Week in the Coachella Valley

EXHIBITS The number of displays and events dedicated to the titular fruit at the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, Feb. 14–23

Hollywood in the Desert Behind the Scenes of Pay Dirt A new action movie starring Val Kilmer (Tombstone, Top Gun, The Doors) and Luke Goss (Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Blade II) has wrapped up filming in the Coachella Valley. The mayor of Coachella, Steven Hernandez, welcomed the production with open arms, allowing it to recreate one of the most festive celebrations held on the east end of the Valley, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Hundreds of extras were on hand, decked out in traditional attire to be in the scene with Val Kilmer, who plays a sheriff in the action drama. It was all part of the vision of filmmaker Christian Sesma, who was born and raised in Cathedral City and who has directed more than five feature films here in the Coachella Valley. Locals will see some recognizable places and faces in the film, bringing a little movie magic to the place we call home.

Untangled Cool

An estimated 640,000 tons of discarded fishing nets and gear clog up the seas. Florida brand Costa del Mar found a smart solution to this mess: make its sunglasses for sport anglers and ocean lovers out of some of that plastic. Costa’s Untangle Our Oceans program takes discarded fishing nets, turns them into plastic pellets, and then uses that material to build its frames. The resulting shades, which are available in five styles, is durable and the polarized glass lenses cut glare on the water. $199–$219 / costadelmar.com

—Robert Greene, author

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: How will you practice self-love this month?

LAURA YANEZ AGUIRRE BLAKE SCHMITT

SARAH-JAYNE ARTHUR RICH HENRICH

EVAN DOHENY

___________________

Creator of Love Laura Films, Cathedral City

Golf pro, Ironwood Country Club, Palm Desert

Carve out extra time to do what I love and what fills up my cup: a spa day, a weekly hike, and a daily walk. I’m diving back into my Five Minute gratitude journal, a daily reminder that life is good.

You cannot give away what you do not have. Loving yourself is the first step to loving others. This month, I choose to love myself by committing to meditation every morning.

___________________

Senior Producer, KESQ News Channel 3, Palm Desert

Writer, Producer, Entrepreneur, Indio

Don’t believe everything you think. There is an inner critic inside all of us. Instead, I practice self-love and gratitude by surrounding myself with people who love and encourage me.

Remember to be kinder and gentler with yourself, to be patient and nurturing, and to focus on quality time with yourself. Self-love is often the hardest but most essential.

___________________

Photographer & Videographer Palm Springs

I will practice self-love by celebrating accomplishments. Pursuing dreams and goals through specific action. Giving my body more water and more rest. And remembering my youthful spirit and dreams.

Crystal Clear Future A cannabis veteran makes the move away from the Emerald Triangle to Coachella Valley. Even the most experienced herbalists and cultivators are leaving some of California’s largest cannabis-producing regions in hopes of a fresh start in the desert. Crystal Rae is one such veteran. For years, she owned and operated an alternative wellness center in the Emerald Triangle. “I have always enjoyed reading and learning about the prohibited plant,” she says. “The more I learned, the more I became an advocate of all things hemp and the decriminalization of weed. It has been a lifelong thing looking back.” Throughout her advocacy and the ups and downs of legalization, Rae remained passionate about 14 COACH EL L A VA LLEY

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steam-distilling fresh buds and other healing herbs into healing oils. “I realized the green rush was also creating an herbal renaissance,” she says. “After all these years of prohibition, cannabis had become the poster child of healing plants.” Rae created a steam-distilled Allin-One First Aid CBD Cream that took top honors at the 2014 Emerald Cup. “I was able to identify terpenes with my nose. There was no lab testing available; the results shocked people on a regular basis,” she says. “It even cleared antibiotic resistant staph infections.” With newfound inspiration for the way the industry was moving,

Rae relocated to the Coachella Valley three years ago to launch her start-up, Feed CBD. The company focuses on skin-care and remedy products made from organic, foodgrade, cold-pressed plant oils and essential oils and hydrosols, also referred to as floral waters. Here in the Valley, Rae hopes to spread her passion for steam-distilling while sharing what she’s learned from the world of cannabis.

THE BUZZ

“Life is dry as a desert, lest you find the oasis of love; faith is an oasis in the heart, which will never be reached by the caravan of thinking.” —Mountain Yam, designer and photographer

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 PRIMARY FOCUS A New Hampshire law requires the Granite State to be the first presidential primary in the nation. This election cycle, that goes down on February 11, after which my home state becomes irrelevant for another four years.

2 LEAP OF FAITH While the calendar year is 365 days, it takes the Earth 365.24 days to orbit the sun. Every four years, we add an extra day to the month of February because without it, the calendar would be misaligned with the seasons by 25 days after just 100 years. 3 BORN THIS WAY The odds of being a “leapling”—a person born on a leap day—is 1 in 1,461.

4 RIGHT ON On February 29, some places celebrate Bachelor’s Day or Sadie Hawkins Day—both a nod to the old Irish tradition that gave women the right to propose marriage to a man on leap day. If he declined, he was required by law to pay a penalty, often in the form of gloves so she could hide the shame of her bare ring finger. 5 MODERN LOVE Since we’re not all Irish, but we are all feminists (because we all believe in the equality of the sexes, of course), any of us can propose to whomever our heart desires whenever we want. Except Valentine’s Day. There’s no law prohibiting it but, sweetie, payas-you-go forced romance is anything but romantic.

6 PETA VIOLATION The origins of the canned-love holiday are as cruel as a red rose delivery in February is clichéd. According to NPR, V-day traces back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a brutal fete during which naked men sacrificed dogs and goats—and whipped women with the animal hides. Stop, in the name of love.

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Room with a Few

Coliving is taking off because it addresses two of our most important social challenges: affordable housing and the loneliness epidemic. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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After an artistic breakdown (complete with tequila), serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti cleared out of his townhouse in Venice Beach and hit the road. He spent a year and a half visiting clients, friends, and family, which was fun, but he eventually got pretty tired of Motel 6s. When a business opportunity came up in Denver, Masitti figured he could handle making a six-month commitment to a living space. A 350-square-foot micro-studio in Turntable Studios, a former hotel next to Mile High Stadium, felt comfortingly familiar and provided what he was looking for—affordability and a downtown view—as well as something he had no idea he needed. After he moved in, Masitti started noticing groups of people hanging out and drinking wine in front of the building every evening around 5 p.m. “I was like, oh, fuck yeah,” he says. “Being somebody who works from home, I’m like, this is amazing. I don’t have to leave or set up happy hour with friends. It’s almost like a Hotel California.” Masitti is now part of a 20-something-strong community at Turntable that not only meets

“I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen an organically grown community like this.” —Mario Masitti

every evening for happy hour but also regularly sits down to share dinners and conversation, sometimes accompanied by a guitar or two, and casually keeps track of one another’s activities and well-being. An introvert at heart, Masitti loves this fluidity. Even when he’s not feeling hugely social, he can pop outside or upstairs to the community room for quick visits. “I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen a place with an organically grown community like this,” Masitti says. “Usually, you just kind

of keep your eyes to the ground. The pool is always empty. No one uses the amenities. This place is the opposite.” The camaraderie has been the balm Masitti’s road-weary soul needed. “Even my mom’s like, ‘You’re so happy again!’” he says. “Friends Are Included” Loneliness is a killer, more dangerous than obesity and smoking. Studies have found it leads to heart disease, stroke, and immune system problems, and it could even impair cancer recovery. A researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark

Serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti

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THE LIFE

found loneliness a strong predictor of premature death, declining mental health, and lower quality of life in cardiovascular patients, and a Brigham Young University professor’s meta-analysis of studies from around the world found that socially isolated adults have a 50 percent greater risk of dying from any cause than people who have community. That’s sobering, especially when you consider that 40 percent of American adults suffer from loneliness, according to an AARP study. And it’s one reason coliving—a new form of housing in which residents with similar interests, values, or intentions share living space, costs, and amenities—is exploding. Coliving situations run a spectrum, from the resident-driven Turntable model to small homes with a half-dozen or so people to massive corporate complexes like The Col-

“You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city. When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.” —Christine McDannell, Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life

lective tower with 550 beds in London. Residents, who stay anywhere from a few days to several years and usually don’t have to sign a lease or pay a security deposit, sleep in their own small private rooms (sometimes with bathrooms) and share common spaces such as large kitchens and dining areas, gardens, and work areas. They’re encouraged to interact with one another, often through organized happy hours and brunches. Ollie, which operates coliving spaces in New York and other cities, advertises that “friends are included.” “Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention,” says Christine McDannell, who lived in unincorporated coliving houses for years before she launched Kindred Quarters, a coliving operator with homes in San Diego and Los Angeles, in 2017. Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life, McDannell also runs Kndrd, a software company for coliving managers and residents, and she hosts the weekly Coliving Code

Show every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes, Soundcloud, and coliving. tv. She has watched— and helped—the industry grow up, and she’s amazed at how few, if any, horror stories she hears. That’s largely because millennials—by far the largest demographic among colivers—are accustomed to sharing and being held accountable through online reviews, she adds. “You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city,” she says. “When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.”

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Nearly a third of American adults live with roommates. SOURCE: Pew Research Center

From Hacker Houses to Golden Girls As companies fat with funding expand into cities across the globe, coliving is newly corporatized— but it’s hardly a novel concept. Boarding houses provided rooms and shared meals for single men and women in the 19th and early 20th centuries; one of the most famous, the Barbizon Hotel in New York, was a “club residence for professional women” from 1927 until the 1980s. People lived communally throughout most of history until industrialization facilitated privatization of family life and housing throughout the 20th century—with a few disrupF EBRUARY 2020

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THE LIFE

LEARN MORE

Find information, news, and guidance on all things coliving at thecolivingcode.com.

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention.” —Christine McDannell

FOURʼS COMPANY Almost half of Gen Zers think itʼs reasonable for four or more people to share a two-bedroom apartment, and 30 percent would move in with roommates they didnʼt know. SOURCE: Credit Karma

tions. In Israel, people have been living in communal villages called kibbutzim for more than 100 years. In the US, hippies attempted to create communes in the 1960s, but they were destroyed by free love, drugs, and egos (which did a lot to discourage coliving, even today). At the same time in Denmark, however, cohousing (an earlier iteration of coliving) was emerging as a way to share childcare. Today, more than 700 communities thrive in Denmark. In Sweden, the government provides cohousing facilities. A handful of cohousing communities following the Danish model have been established in the US, and hacker houses

are common in tech capitals like Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, but the concept has been slow to catch on until recently. As it becomes increasingly impossible for mere mortals to afford skyrocketing rents in desirable cities, Americans are coming around to coliving and finding creative solutions to all sorts of social issues. Older women are shacking up together following the Golden Girls model. Coabode.org matches single moms who want to raise kids together. At Hope Meadows in Chicago, retirees live with foster kids. The opportunity to pay lower rent (in many but not all cases) and share expenses makes all the difference in places like

New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles. When New York–based coliving operator Common opened a development with 24 furnished spaces in Los Angeles for between $1,300 and $1,800 a month, more than 9,000 people applied. McDannell says coliving is exploding because it solves important challenges that plague modern society. “People are signing away their paychecks on rent and feeling increasingly isolated,” she wrote in “Why We’re Building a CoLiving Community Ecosystem” on LinkedIn. “It is due time that HaaS (Housing as a Service) disrupts the antiquated industry of property management and real estate.” F EBRUARY 2020

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WONDERS NEVER CEASE After traveling the globe collecting museum-quality artifacts and touring his exhibitions across 21 states these past 20 years, Alberto Acosta has finally found a home for his treasures and for himself—in Coachella Valley. TEXT SAT SINGH PANESAR

f you missed King Tut on his recent Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh world-tour pitstop in Los Angeles (and London, Boston, and Sydney aren’t on your 2020 itinerary), you’ll have to travel back to his hometown of Giza, Egypt, to marvel at his riches. Beginning in 2021, the tomb artifacts will rest in peace for eternity in the shadow of the pyramids in the vast Grand Egyptian Museum, never to travel overseas again. The collection will have been on the road since the 1960s; not a bad run for the young royal. However, if you still have a desire to gaze upon the Pharaoh’s treasures and don’t want to stress that 18-hour flight, then look no further than the Museum of Ancient Wonders (MOAW) at its temporary home in Cathedral

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City. The brainchild and life’s work of Alberto Acosta, MOAW is a fully curated, rich collection of officially sanctioned reproductions that are rarely seen outside of their respective museums. “I’ve spent 30 years researching, commissioning, and acquiring these antiquities, and the last 20 looking for their home. When I came to the Coachella Valley, I knew this was it,” Acosta says. Acosta has worn a variety of hats—painter, composer, artist, theater production and talent wrangler, museum curator, world traveler, historian, collector of artifacts—and when you listen to him speak, the descriptor that begins to consolidate all his previous roles is that of storyteller. We caught up with him at MOAW.

WITH ALL YOUR VARIED WORLD EXPERIENCES, WHY NOW A MUSEUM DIRECTOR? Creating stunning educational exhibitions and touring them like a theatrical roadshow was my passion. Now, I’m on a different mission. A mission to find [these treasures] a permanent home in the Coachella Valley, a mission to keep their stories alive. They belong in a museum built around their stories, their mysteries. We’d also have a Touring Exhibition Space to showcase exhibits from the Smithsonian, the National Geographic, and many more museums from around the world. WHY THE COACHELLA VALLEY? The collection is designed to enhance universal curriculum development for the local school districts while providing a potent new [tour-

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF ANCIENT WONDERS

ism] attraction. Of all the regions in the US, I chose the Coachella Valley because it will add museum diversity to the worlds of midcentury and contemporary art. It’s an excursion, a portal, a brief adventure into the ancient world that brings context to the rigors of modern existence. It is the first of its kind in the region. The Valley needs a museum of this scope to illuminate our past, enlighten the present, and brighten our path to the future. THE WORLD OF ARTIFACT REPRODUCTIONS IS INTRIGUING; CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE BASICS OF THE PRACTICE? I suspend my disbelief when I look at a reproduction much like you do when you go to a movie. I forget that it is not an original antiquity. The object is mesmerizing and provokes an emotional response as one searches for its meaning and purpose. For [most] people, beautifully curated, reproduced artifacts are the only way to experience the important archaeological discoveries of all time. A laboratory fossil cast is scientifically reproduced and digitally remastered through a direct imprint from the ancient stone. It is the only way that museums that house originals can share their important discoveries with other institutions, or even showcase them in their own halls due to deterioration safeguards. They are also limited in number, [nearly] as rare as the originals.

“[ANCIENT EGYPTIAN] IDEAS WERE SO AHEAD OF THEIR TIME THAT THEY WERE WIPED OFF THE HISTORY BOOKS. THEIR LEGACY WAS NOT REVEALED UNTIL THE DISCOVERY OF THE TOMB IN 1922… THEIR STORY IS ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING IN HISTORY AND THEIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERY STILL ONE OF THE RICHEST OF ALL TIME.”

one of three women in the long dynastic history of ancient Egypt to rule as Pharaoh. Her beauty is legendary and her stunning likeness was left behind 3,300 years ago in the ruins of a religious city known as El Amarna. She introduces us to her husband, Akhenaten, the heretical pharaoh who threw Egypt into chaos by attempting to establish monotheSCRATCHING ism in a world where polytheism ruled. He in turn introduces us to THE SURFACE In general, only Tutankhamun, the middle. about 5 percent of Their ideas were so ahead of museum objects their time that they were wiped are on exhibit at any one time. The giganoff the history books. Their legtic British Museum acy was not revealed until the has only 1 percent discovery of the tomb in 1922 by of its collection on Howard Carter and his benefacdisplay. tor Lord Carnarvon. Their story is one of the most fascinating in history and their archaeological discovery still one of the richest of all time. The dramatic ending? Perhaps the adventure continues to today as the exhibit is toured one last time around the world. Or perhaps there’s still more to the story as sanctioned reproductions are exhibited in museums on every continent. We’re for-

—Alberto Acosta, director of MOAW Alberto Acosta

YOU’VE OFTEN SAID THAT EVERY ARTIFACT IS A STORY—BEGINNING, MIDDLE, AND DRAMATIC ENDING— CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE? Let’s take the famous bust of Nefertiti. The beginning: She is F EBRUARY 2020

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all wom g n i all o love cannab

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

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GO THERE

Museum of Ancient Wonders 69028-B East Palm Canyon Dr., Cathedral City moaw.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF ANCIENT WONDERS

tunate enough to have one right here in the Coachella Valley.

CAN YOU EXPOUND ON YOUR REASONS FOR WANTING TO DEMOCRATIZE ACCESS TO YOU HAVE A CATCHPHRASE THESE EXHIBITIONS? WHEN YOU’RE ASKED IF YOU’RE These ancient treasures are of AN ARCHAEOLOGIST. universal appeal to everyone, a Yes, “I do my digging through thread to the past that we hold in books.” I’m not in the fields excathe present. Most people don’t revating; I like to consult and trade alize that only a small percentage theories with my fellow experts. of the world’s population ever gets I began collecting before the into gaze on originals, be it fossils, ternet so my ATT long-distance paintings, or artifacts. I’m conphone bill was astronomical. Now- vinced that every person, young adays, the internet is humankind’s and old, should have the opporcollective consciousness and the tunity to see in person a great most convenient resource for mak- discovery, a rare artifact, a master ing acquisitions. However, while painting to connect themselves the internet offers quick access to with the history of mankind. So, the most amazing people and their if local kids or visitors to the desdiscoveries, there is no substitute ert cannot get to these museums, to a very robust Rolodex. we’ll bring the museum to them.

Alberto Acosta with his Egyptian treasures

COULD YOU FRANCHISE THE IDEA? That would be fascinating. The mission is to reach as many people as possible, to get them to get out of the house, off their computers, to unplug and spend some time reflecting. Museums are offerings wherein a parent brings a child; as that child grows they bring their children, and they bond in shared experiences for generations. Once I’m firmly ensconced in the afterlife, other curators will come along and decide what artifacts or antiquities are needed to enhance the core to keep them vital, and with the Touring Exhibition Space, new and exciting educational experiences will continue to serve the public’s interest and bring back loyal visitors and travelers from around the world looking for something to engage their imaginations. WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP? We need the current generation to help make this museum available to the next generation. It’s a huge undertaking, and we can’t do it alone. I have planted the seed. My hope is that Valley residents will recognize the value of this effort, support it through memberships, bring their friends and families to visit, and that prominent philanthropists from the old world and business organizations from the new will help sustain the museum while it gains firm footing in the educational, cultural, and economic fabric of the Valley. I foresee a glorious and beloved future for these collections here in the Coachella Valley. VALLEY OF THE KINGS? Yes, a new Valley of the Kings. F EBRUARY 2020

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IN LIVING C LOR Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel is what you are. TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

umans have used color to express ideas and emotion for thousands of years, according to color specialist and trend forecaster Leatrice Eisman. As executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Eisman is the world’s leading authority on the topic of color, authoring many books on the subject. In The

Complete Color Harmony, Eisman describes how even the most subtle nuances in color can result in shades that excite or calm, pacify or energize, and even suggest strength or vulnerability. “They can nurture you with their warmth, soothe you with their quiet coolness, and heighten your awareness of the world around you.

Color enriches our universe and our perception of it,” she writes. According to her research, we all respond to color at a very visceral level, associating specific hues with another time or place. “Color invariably conveys moods that attach themselves to human feelings or reactions,” she notes. “Part of our psychic develop-

ment, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning that we either inherently sense or have learned by association and/or conditioning, which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.” It’s with all this in mind that she and a team of experts choose the Pantone Color of the F EBRUARY 2020

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PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Year, which the institute has named annually for more than two decades, gaining more attention and having more impact with each passing declaration. So this year, expect to see a lot of blue. The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is known as Classic Blue. Describing the shade as “evocative of the nighttime sky,” Eisman explains the choice: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.” She contends that Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious, expand our thinking, open the flow of communication. Her comments are rooted in color theory, which says that a good part of the emotions that colors evoke is tied to natural phenomena. Classic Blue is the color of outer space (look beyond), of the celestial sky (look beyond), of the deep ocean (open the flow).

“Part of our psychic development, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning… which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.” —Leatrice Eisman in The Complete Color Harmony

One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from German poet and politician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His 1820 book Theory of Colours explored the psychological impact of colors on mood and emotion. Yellow, Goethe wrote, is the color nearest the light, yet when applied to dull, coarse surfaces, it is no longer filled with its signature energy. “By a slight and scarcely perceptible change, the beautiful impression of fire and gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul; and the colour of honour and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion.” Of red: “All that we have said of yellow is applicable here, in a higher degree.” Goethe’s theories continue to intrigue, possibly because of the

lyrical prose rather than its scientific facts. Today, it’s generally accepted that shades of blue are associated with steady dependability, calm, and serenity. Yellow evokes the color of the sun, associated with warmth and joy. Green connects with nature, health, and revival. White stands for simplicity; black for sophistication. A 1970s study on the body’s physiological responses to colors revealed that warm hues (red, orange, yellow— the colors of the sun) aroused people troubled with depression and increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive folks. Cool colors (green, blue, violet) elicited the reverse, but the important finding was

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that all colors produced clinically tangible results. It’s not woo-woo science; humans have been using color as medicine, a practice known as chromotherapy, since ancient Egypt. In fact, chromotherapy is as tested a practice as any other alternative medicine— Ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology. While it is widely accepted that color affects one’s health—physically, mentally, emotionally—more studies are needed to determine the full scope of impact as well as its potential to help heal. This isn’t a new theory, either. In the late 1800s, rays of color/light were shown to affect the blood stream. Later research found color to be “a complete therapeutic system for 123 major illnesses,” according to a

critical analysis of chromotherapy published in 2005 by Oxford University Press. Today, bright white, full-spectrum light is being used in the treatment of cancers, seasonal affective disorder, anorexia, bulimia, insomnia, jet lag, alcohol and drug addiction, and more. Blue light is used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Red light helps with cancer and constipation. And that’s just the beginning.

sions that include color wheels. Colored crystal lights. Breathing in colors through meditation. Infrared saunas with chromotherapy add-ons. There are actually many ways of adjusting the color in your life, and not all of them require a trip to see a specialist. Unlike trying to self-administer acupuncture (don’t do that), techniques can be as simple as putting on colorful attire or getting some bright throw pillows or plants. You can never On the Bright Side have too many plants. When your physical And you should eat more landscape is devoid of plants, too, filling your bright, vibrant hues, your plate with healthful emotional one is affectfruits, vegetables, and ed as well. That’s where spices from every part of color therapy comes in. the spectrum. It has a deep effect on If a lack of sunlight physical, psychological, has you feeling a lack of and emotional aspects of joy, paint your home or our lives, and it comes office—warm, vibrant in many forms: light ses- yellows and oranges showcase excitement and warmth; browns and neutrals decidedly do not. Choose wisely. Painting not an option? Consider temporary wallpaper or hanging large artworks. On a budget? Head to the thrift shop and repurpose an old canvas by painting it white and then adding whatever hues you are vibing with this winter. If it doesn’t turn out well, cover it up with more white paint and start

again. Have fun with it, consider it art therapy. There are also an array of therapeutic options popping up as add-ons, as wellness studios, spas, and alternative medicine practices incorporate chromotherapy treatments into their offerings. Many infrared saunas are starting to offer chromotherapy benefits, and the combination of the full-light spectrum and the heat effectively tricks the brain into thinking it spent a full day basking in the sun, causing it to release those sweet endorphins that flood your body when the warm rays of spring hit your face when you step outside. It feels good And really, that is everything. Color is everything. F EBRUARY 2020

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Higher

SPECIAL REPORT

Exploring the amorous side of cannabis.

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love

TEXT DAN McCARTHY

annabis is often championed as a cure for bedroom ailments, while at the same time often being misunderstood or simply (if cautiously) being introduced as an acceptable commonplace component to one’s love tackle-box, much like a bottle of wine and 1970s R+B is for some or a Tinder match on a Tuesday night and fistful of Viagra is for others. Seth Prosterman, a San Francisco–based certified sex therapist, told Vice in 2017 that weed isn’t a one-way ticket to pleasure town, but it can help you get there. “While pot can help bring out our most sexy selves, disinhibit us, or relax us during sex, I would highly recommend that people learn to be in the moment and deeply feel and connect with their partners without using enhancing drugs,” says Prosterman. “Pot can give us a glimpse of our sexual potential. Working toward our sexual potential, with our partners, is part of developing a higher capacity for intimacy, passion, and deep connection.” Depending on what social media feeds you’re attuned to, it’s not hard these days to get at least one story fanned your way in a month about something to do with weed and sex. Sure, some of it is just fluffy prose, and some of it just states the painfully obvious. You don’t need Cosmopolitan to tell you that “getting too high can backfire on your sex life [because it] it makes you too sleepy to have any. Don’t eat a whole pot brownie, and then expect to feel horned up and ready to go.” That said, there are more and more mavens and mavericks—as

well as manufactured goods, experiences, and bold claims—orbiting the Stoned Sex star. Take, for example, Ashley Manta, sex coach, relationship educator, and proud “cannasexual”—one who’s concerned with mindfully combining weed and sex for desired positive results. Speaking to the men’s culture publication MEL magazine in 2017, Manta made it clear she’s not a blanket proselytizer intent on turning every client into a cannabis-forward sex enthusiast. “I’m not out to convert people,” she says. “If people are happy not having cannabis in their sex lives, I’m not going to tell them they’re wrong for not wanting to consider including it. My approach is more like, if you already consume cannabis or you’re open to the idea of it, here are the best practices for mixing it with sex. The idea of being cannasexual isn’t limited to one specific sex act either, or even just partnered sex. I speak of it in terms of one’s overall relationship with their body, sexuality, and self-care.” If you want to see her theory in action, her Instagram (@ashleymanta) is rife with content to back it up. Manta is known for her cannabinoid-enhanced “play parties.” If you’re imagining a swinging group of couples gathering under the banner of self-exploration, relationship tonic, or just consenting group sex fests with weed lube, that sounds about right. A satisfied customer, presumably still reeling in coital bliss, posted this feedback on Manta’s website: “Over the course of the night, I watched from my spot at the vape bar as [Ashley] shifted seamlessly from teacher to particF EBRUARY 2020

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ipant to confidant to chaperone… Nobody and no body was neglected by her. She guided the underinformed on the mindful marriage of cannabis and sex. She allowed the calming rituals of medicating with cannabis to bring those who indulged in it to that place of body-peace that only the right combination of carefully selected strains can induce.” A glowing review, for sure. However, the science is still out about the use of specific strains as particular keys for unlocking sexy-time happiness in a universal sense. Blazed in Love Alcohol, on the other hand, has no shortage of both anecdote and hard facts about the good, bad, and ugly regarding drunk sex. Depending on body factors, two or more alcoholic beverages will depress the central nervous system, leading to limp noodles for men, reduced clitoral sensitivity in women, and unsatisfying romps. There are plenty of positive studies coming out about general findings on cannabis and sex interacting. In 2018, Stanford researchers released findings on the largest study to date that compiled info on sex and marijuana. The data set included 28,176 women and 22,943 men, average age 30, who formed a reasonably representative sample of the US population, according to a Psychology Today column, which reported: “Compared with cannabis abstainers, men who used it weekly reported 22 percent more sex, women 34 percent more. Among those who used marijuana more than weekly, sexual frequency increased even more. This study did not ask if participants found

ive us “Pot can g f our a glimpse o ntial. sexual pote [this] d r a w o t g n Worki is part of potential… a higher developing macy.” i t n i r o f y t i capac apist , sex ther

rman —Seth Proste

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“I could make jokes, but I believe it’s actually a good thing. That we’re comfortable even mentioning sex with cannabis is part of the breakdown of generational stigma.” —Dr. Jordan Tishler, cannabis therapeutics expert

cannabis sex-enhancing, but to an extent, that can be inferred.” No study exists to confirm that cannabis can totally impair sexual function the way alcohol can, but that doesn’t mean all green means go. Dr. Jordan Tishler knows that well. He’s the founder of the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based Inhale MD, which specializes in cannabis therapeutics, including the intersection of cannabis and human sexuality. Tishler says people read things on the internet, dive into discussions about different strains and cannabis topicals (see: weed lube), or cook romantic-dosed dinners for loved ones, and that’s fine. “Those things certainly play a factor,” he says, “but generally it’s not my

recommended approach regarding cannabis altering sexuality.” It comes down to a lack of a standard of research and understanding. If you were to ask 20 casual CBD preachers about its positive effect during sex, you’d get 20 answers. To those who claim it’s the golden ticket to getting laid, Tishler says keep it in your pants. “CBD for sexuality is a nonstarter,” he says. “It doesn’t provoke libido…. It may help with anxiety or pain if that’s an issue, but what we’re really looking at in treatment of sexual dysfunction or enhancement with cannabis is how it’s used to create healthier relationships.” Which isn’t to say the new canna-sex specialists creating new

businesses and products or hawking themselves as “experts” are necessarily a bad thing in these early days of legal weed. That there are people doing this and finding an audience suggests bringing such topics and experimentation to light is meaningful to people. “I could make jokes, but I believe it’s actually a good thing,” says Tishler, who was once asked to advise a company trying to invent a dildo that squirted out weed lube during use. “That we’re comfortable even mentioning sex with cannabis is part of the breakdown of generational stigma.” Unlike Manta, Tishler thinks having specific strains for bedroom activities isn’t going to make a huge difference. Additionally, sexual lubricants and toys set the mood, but a successful liaison is more about body type, effect, and all interested parties being in sync with each other. Or, for those on a solo mission, in sync with one’s self. It’s about how cannabis introduced into sexual settings or relationships is a means to stimulate the big sexy organ everyone has above their shoulders, and that, of course, is where the Infinity Stone of getting it on rests for everyone. “Cannabis can help facilitate situations and discussions and different levels of honesty and intimacy in relationships that need it,” Tishler says. “But what we know about humans is that over 90 percent of what’s going on [to enhance and improve] sex is going on between your ears.” Don’t let that stop you from sparking a joint next time the mood strikes. It just may take your bedroom bliss to new heights. F EBRUARY 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Founding editor of Sensi Boston, Dan McCarthy is a seasoned journalist, speaker, and content expert whose bylines have appeared in Vice, Esquire, the Daily Beast, and the Boston Globe.

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A Toast to Lovers This CBD-infused shrimp avocado toast is ideal for Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. TEXT LEANDRA ROMERO

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MEET THE CHEF A native of Indio, California, Jeshua Garza graduated from Le Cordon Bleu. After a year of developing his culinary chops in the kitchen, Garza joined LAʼs foodie scene, launching his own food truck, Willoughby Road. With experience in French, Italian, and Mexican (his heritage) cuisine, Garza is now the executive chef of Polo Pizza Company in Indio and owner/creator of Kuma Catering.

Shrimp Avocado Toast

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESHUA GARZA

Infused with CBD / Recipe by Chef Jeshua Garza / Servings: 5

They say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. If that’s the case, Chef Jeshua Garza’s CBD-infused shrimp avocado toast is the perfect meal to melt hearts this Valentine’s Day. The combination of the spicy citrus arbol marinade dripping off the shrimp onto a charred smoky sweet corn and salty queso will have mouths watering and taste buds working overtime.

IN G RE DIE N TS For the marinade

1 cup pure olive oil 2 tablespoons unflavored CBD oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 arbol chilies (or 1 tablespoon crushed red chili flakes) 2 limes, zest and juice 2 lemons, zest 1 grapefruit, zest (reserve juice)

For the toast

1 pound shrimp 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 ear yellow corn 1 loaf artisan sourdough 2 small Hass avocados 1 package queso fresco 1 bunch cilantro salt and pepper IN ST RUCT IONS

• In a saucepan, heat the oils and add all marinade ingredients. • Cook 5 minutes on low to fuse flavors. Let cool.

• Toss shrimp and marinade in a large Ziploc bag. Set in refrigerator to marinade, the longer the better.

• Heat a sauté pan and sear shrimp for about 1 minute per side.

• Coat corn in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill until it has a nice char on it. Cut the corn kernels off the cob.

• Slice avocado and place it on toast. Use a fork to smash the avocado. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper.

• While the grill is still on, cut artisan loaf in ¾ inch slices, rub olive oil on both sides, and season with salt and pepper. Grill both sides until golden brown.

• Pour grapefruit juice over shrimp to deglaze pan.

• Add five shrimp to the toast. Top with corn and queso fresco. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

TOP: HITS COACHELLA DESERT CIRCUIT BELOW: JERRY SEINFELD

On the Calendar

There’s more to February than date nights and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HITS COACHELLA DESERT CIRCUIT

TEXT LEANDRA ROMERO

It may be a short month but there’s no shortage of events in the Coachella Valley this February. Front and center, two of the desert’s most anticipated experiences kick off the beginning of the busiest time of the season. Modernism Week and the 74th Annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival are both international attractions, bringing in thousands of visitors from all over the world to celebrate two things the desert does best: midcentury architecture and delicious date-infused food. With so much to see, eat, and do, here’s a list of events going on this month to help you plan.

Swing ’N Hops Street Party Feb. 8 El Paseo, Palm Desert discoverpalmdesert.com

Jerry Seinfeld

Palm Desert Half Marathon and 5K

Feb. 1 Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, Rancho Mirage hotwatercasino.com

Feb. 9 City of Palm Desert Civic Center Park palmdeserthalfmarathon.com

One of These Nights: A Tribute to The Eagles

Modernism Week

Feb. 7 Spotlight 29 Casino, Coachella spotlight29.com

Feb. 13–23 Palm Springs modernismweek.com

This jam-packed festival features more than 300 events. F EBRUARY 2020

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Come this weekend. Come next weekend. Stay the week. Just move in already.

We got you. thesaguaro.com

The Saguaro Hotel Palm Springs 1800 E Palm Canyon Dr / Palm Springs, CA 92264

THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

LEFT: VALENTINEʼS SUPER LOVE JAM RIGHT: RIVERSIDE COUNTY FAIR & NATIONAL DATE FESTIVAL

Prepare yourself for 10 days of happenings, including night parties, fashion shows, walking and bike tours, and the vintage trailer show. Nobody does midcentury modernism like Palm Springs.

Make It Last Forever Valentine’s Day Show

Valentine’s Super Love Jam

Feb. 15– 17 Frances Stevens Park, Palm Springs westcoastartists.com

Feb. 13 Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, Rancho Mirage hotwatercasino.com

Feb. 14 Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, Rancho Mirage hotwatercasino.com

Desert Arts Festival

La Quinta Car Show Feb. 15 La Quinta Community Park, La Quinta lqcarshow.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF AGUA CALIENTE RESORT CASINO SPA

Smoke House Saturdays 74th Annual Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival

Feb. 15 The 420 Lounge, Palm Springs @420loungepalmsprings

Feb. 14–23 Riverside County Fair, Indio datefest.org

Writers Festival Film Club: Julie & Julia (2009) “Waterloo,” “Mama Desert Feb. 20 Woman’s Show Mia,” and other

What started as a celebration of the end of the annual date harvest is now a more than weeklong festival. The fair maintains decades-old traditions while incorporating fun for everyone with concerts, fair rides, animal adoptions, contests, and, of course, every type of fried food you can dream up.

Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory rmwritersfest.org/film-club

Arrival: The Music of ABBA Feb. 21 Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, Rancho Mirage hotwatercasino.com

classics. There’s no word yet on whether Pierce Brosnan will show up.

Feb. 22 JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, Palm Desert desertwomansshow.com

Sensi Connect Feb. 22, 6–10 p.m. The Bing Crosby Estate, Rancho Mirage sensimag.com/sensi-event

Come hang with us Channel your inner and network with ’70s Swede and pre- industry leaders pare to get down to and executives. “Dancing Queen,”

HITS Coachella Desert Circuit Feb. 25–Mar. 1 Desert International Horse Park, Thermal hitsshows.com

Rancho Mirage Wine and Food Festival Feb. 28–29 Rancho Mirage Community Park ranchomiragewineand foodfestival.com

2020 Wildflower 5K Trail Fun Run/Walk Feb. 29 Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Palm Desert desertmountains.org

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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E N AT I O N W I D E C A N N A B I S F U N D I N G

Nationwide Cannabis Funding When you need financial help, this company offers an answer.

ne of the biggest hurdles most cannabis and hemp companies face these days is finding safe and secure funding to ensure the success of their business. Most banks won’t look at the industry, forcing business

owners to turn to family, friends, credit cards, and private debt to keep things growing. Well, there is an answer. Founded in 2018, Nationwide Cannabis Funding is there to help you when you need financial help. At the helm is Brent Buhrman, CEO, who

has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. “We understand the headaches and heartaches that people experience trying to secure funding; that’s why we are here,” says Buhrman. “We offer cannabis funding from cannabis insiders.” Offering a full array of options at competitive rates that usually match the same rates that banks offer, Nationwide will work with you to construct terms that will suit you. If you “We understand the are looking for a construction loan, it will finance up to 70 percent of the headaches costs to cover processing, product and heartmanufacturing, extraction, distribution, cultivation, and testing facilities. aches that people If cash is tight, it can cover you with a short-term bridge loan to provide experience immediate cash flow. Equipment trying to needs are covered, too, with loans secure that will cover up to 100 percent of funding; your needed equipment. When it comes to credit lines, that’s why Nationwide is the place to turn with we are its collateral-based credit lines that here.” can equal up to 500 percent of the —Brent Buhrman, CEO collateral funds you have deposited. Even more impressive, it has Stand-by Letters of Credit that will enable you to establish a collateral-based credit line equal to five-times the amount of funds deposited. Dealing with businesses across North America, Nationwide’s expertise is unparalleled. So, when it comes time to prime the pump for your next project, turn to someone who knows and understands the complex issues you are facing and reach out to Nationwide Cannabis Funding.

Nationwide Cannabis Funding Financial Consulting nationwidecannabisfunding.com F EBRUARY 2020

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CDPH-10003459

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E W E S T C OA S T CA N N A B I S C L U B

West Coast Cannabis Club The locals’ favorite is only getting better.

t can be hard for Coachella Valley residents to know who is selling them their cannabis these days, with the rapid influx of Canadian and Angelino-owned businesses opening their doors here lately. Well, luckily there is West Coast Cannabis Club, a privately owned and operated desert-based company here to serve their needs. Besides being actively involved in the community through philanthropic endeavors, the company also employs locals who are paid a living wage. And West Coast knows what its neighbors want. In West Coast’s continuing commitment to investing in its community, the company is opening its state-ofthe-art vertically integrated Melanie Place campus (see rendering at the bottom right). The 30,000-square-foot building will be home to its cultiva-

tion, manufacturing, and distribution efforts along with having a retail location with a large window to view the grow operation. From the moment West Coast had its first recreational sale in the state in 2018 to its 2019 Best of the Best Award, it has been a leader in the region. But West Coast is not content to just sit back and relax; no, it’s con-

tinually innovating and exploring newer and better products for its customers. “The long empty former home of KESQ News is currently being transformed into a beautiful state-of-theart facility set to open in February,” says Kenneth Churchill, the company CEO. “It will not only bring many well-paying jobs and tax revenue to the city, but it will also help solidify our vibrant little cannabis community here in the Valley as a leader in the industry nationwide.” Coming this March, the company will be rolling out its house brand, West Coast Cannabis Club, in its stores and across the state. You will be able to get fresh flower, pre-rolls, and edibles to enhance your enjoyment and pleasure. This is on top of Bad Fish, which launched in December, the company’s own line of concentrates designed to be clean and pure, something you are sure to enjoy. So, when you decide to go to the store to restock product, head to one of West Coast’s locations and let them ensure your experience is the best in the Valley.

West Coast Cannabis Club Dispensary westcoastcannabis.club

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THE END

The Tram Never Gets Old It’s the best time of year to get high in the Valley.

There’s truly nothing like it in the country: the iconic Aerial Tramway in Palm Springs features the longest span of spinning gondola cars in the US—6,000 feet in 2.5 miles—with one of the fastest vertical gains anywhere on earth. Set against rugged Chino Canyon on the northern edge of Palm Springs, the tramway is part of the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority, and the area is designated a national monument. More than 20 million people have ridden the 10-minute, dual-car tramway from the Valley Station to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. At the top, riders enjoy temps dozens of degrees cooler than where they started. First envisioned in 1935, the tramway was spearheaded by electrical engineer 50 COACH ELLA VA LLEY

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Francis Crocker, who dreamed of traveling to the snow-covered peaks of Mount San Jacinto, sitting 10,834 feet above the desert floor. Three decades later—through years of perseverance— that dream came to fruition. The tramway was finally completed in 1963, and global celebrities like Monaco’s Princess Grace and her family showed up to ride it. According to officials, funds for the construction of the tramway were raised by the sale of $8.15 million in private revenue bonds, and no public funds were used for the construction or operation of the tramway. The 35-year bonds were successfully paid off in 1996. The tramway was designated a historical civil engineering landmark in 1988.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY

TEXT AARON H. BIBLE

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