Sensi Magazine - Denver/Boulder (February 2020)

I DENVER/BOULDER F E B 2020

FLAVORS OF LOVE DINNER DATES DONE 33 WAYS

Live Wholeheartedly

Boulder’s finest cannabis experience.

21+ Recreational only.

TheFarmCo.com

2801 iris ave. Boulder, CO.

303.440.1323

m-f 8am-9:45 sat 9am-9:45pm sun 11am-9:45

@thefarmdispensary

CBD Edible

HIGH TIMES CANNABIS CUP COLORADO 2019

Canyon won first place in the High Times Cannabis Cup Colorado, CBD Edible category for our Sour Lemonade 1:1 ChewIT! Find them today at your local dispensary!

incredible SHARE SOMETHING

MedicallyCorrect.com

DENVER / BOULDER SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

F E AT U R E S

72

72

Room with a Few

Coliving is taking off because it addresses two major social challenges: affordable housing and the loneliness epidemic.

80 Marathon Man

Jerry Dunn conquered his demons to become one of the most accomplished ultra marathon runners on the planet.

88 True Blue

United By Blue is saving Americaʼs waterways one shirt at a time.

96

Rebel, Renegade, Revolutionary Rob Van Dam emerges as a visionary in cannabis, in wrestling, and in life.

ON THE COVER Americaʼs favorite dinner date night is fast approaching. Donʼt be the last one to make your reservation.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

11

CRATIV is the packaging behind today’s premium cannabis brands like Devour Gummies.

Our sleek & simple design gives your product the spotlight, while remaining child safe for responsible use at home.

EXECUTIVE

PUBLISHING

Ron Kolb Founder + CEO ron@sensimag.com

Tyler Tarr Founding Publisher

Laurie Zink Chief Marketing Director

DENVER/BOULDER Liana Cameris Publisher Ilee Desoto Associate Publisher Amanda Patrizi Associate Publisher

B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T

SOUTHERN COLORADO Liana Cameris Publisher

Ashley Couch Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs

LOS ANGELES Mark Basser Publisher

Mike Mansbridge President Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer

Rob Dial Vice President, Digital Marketing Kristan Toth Head of People Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com Jade Kolb Recruiting Director Jodie Villanueava Recruiting Manager Graham Gerritsen Legal Ruel Hatcher Accounting Kisty Stephens Accounting Bookkeeper Jessica Martinez Executive Assistant A DV E R T I S I N G J. Brad Britton Corporate Development Director Derek LaCrone Director of Sales, Sensi East Brian Gilchrist Director of Sales, Sensi West brian.gilchrist@sensimag.com Nancy Reid Director, Team Building, Sensi East Joel Bergeson Director, Team Building, Sensi West

GET CRATIV WITH YOUR PACKAGING. Check out our edible, vape and preroll lines today.

CORP ORATE ADVISORY BOARD Dave Tran Business Development Douglas McKinnon Finance Charles Gillespie Technology Chuck Arnold Investor Relations MEDI A PARTNERS Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

CRATIVPackaging.com to get a free sample Mention this Sensi ad to get $100 credit on your first order.

SAN DIEGO Rob Ball Associate Publisher Angelique Kiss Associate Publisher LAS VEGAS Abi Wright Publisher BOSTON Leon Drucker Publisher Richard Guerra Associate Publisher EMERALD TRIANGLE, CA Lelehnia DuBois Publisher Shannon Golightly Associate Publisher Tad Sarvinski Associate Publisher COACHELLA VALLEY, CA Greg Jelden, Co-Publisher Jason Zahler, Co-Publisher Sat Panesar Associate Publisher Quentin Dusastre Associate Publisher DETROIT Jamie Cooper Publisher Eric Bulls Associate Publisher Kile Miller Associate Publisher Leah Stephens Associate Publisher Constance Taylor Associate Publisher PITTSBURGH Gina Vensel Publisher Matt Raymond Associate Publisher NORTH BAY, CA Nancy Birnbaum Publisher Sam Delapaz Associate Publisher PHILADELPHIA Michael Fanini Publisher Russ Cacciavillano Associate Publisher Wendy Lubell Associate Publisher Rick Rueda Associate Publisher

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

in Denver/Boulder, please contact Liana Cameris: liana.cameris@sensimag.com

12 DE N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

C ont inued D E PA R T M E N T S

30

55

15 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 THE BUZZ

News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop GET YOUR KICKS This book explores the history

113

and industry of running shoes.

GOD-TIER First look at Red Leg Brewing’s new playground SUNKEN TREASURE Peep Costa Del Mar’s quality shades made from recycled ocean trash.

TAKE HEART Cardio advice in honor of Heart Month COME ON, GET APPY Discovering Happy, the App TASTE THE TOWN Don’t wait until Denver Restaurant Week to make your reservations.

RECOGNIZING BRILLIANCE Chuck Lorre receives ADG award.

30 THE LIFE

Contributing to your health and happiness

104

138

THE POWER OF PAPER Paper engineers create the first pop-up book about cannabis.

HISTORY AND CULTURE History Colorado commemorates the centennial of the 19th Amendment.

PRODUCT REVIEW CBN products to help you sleep OUTDOORS Fishing for the elusive steelhead TRAVEL This tiny, tucked-away Florida paradise is more than meets the eye.

HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you in February

104 THE SCENE

Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town FOOD TRENDS What could dinner look like in 2040?

RECIPE Head-turning whiskey and rye cocktail from

Beatrice and Woodsey

DATE NIGHT 33 romantic local spots for your V-Day dinner LOVE ONLINE The strange world of niche online dating CALENDAR Ditch the dinner date in favor of these events.

138 THE END

Why thousands of cranes are converging on Colorado

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

13

ADVISORY BOARD

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

1906 New Highs Chocolate

Jupiter Research Inhalation Hardware

Agricor Laboratories Testing Lab

LʼEagle Services Sustainability

Altus Pills and Tablets

Lab Society Extraction Expert and Lab Supplies

Aspen Cannabis Insurance Insurance Services Bee-Nails Vaporizers Buscher Law, LLC Cannabis Law Cannopoly Mobile Commerce Canyon Cultivation Microdosing Cartology Corporation Cartridge Filling Equipment & Hardware Colorado Cannabis Company THC Coffee

FACE BO O K Like Sensi Media Group for the parties, topics, and happenings we’re obsessed with right now.

Concentrate Supply Co. Recreational Concentrates CRATIV Engineered Packaging Packaging Emerald Construction Construction

TWITTER Follow @sensimag to stay up-to-date on the latest news from Sensi cities.

Evolutionz Consulting The Clear™ Evolve Formulas Transdermal General Cannabis Consulting Genesee Sports Nutrition

I NSTAG RAM @sensimagazine is home to exclusive photos and content.

GoFire Dose Control Greenhouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing GreenLink Financial Banking Higher Grade Boutique Cannabis Hybrid Payroll Staffing and HR Benefits Incredibles Wellness

14 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

Llamaste Yoga LUXX Retreat Lodging marQaha Sublinguals and Beverages Monte Fiore Farms Recreational Cultivation Mountain High Suckers CBD Edibles Mustache Dabs Rosin Press Next Frontier Biosciences Biosciences Northern Standard History of Cannabis ONIT Sciences Cannabis Investments PotGuide Travel/Tourism RiNo Supply Company Cannabis Culture Sharp Solutions Transportation Smokineer Outdoor Smoking Gear Source Colorado Wholesale Consulting Steveʼs Goods CBG Products Terrapin Care Station Recreational Dispensary Toast Mindful Consumption TruSolis Technologies Commercial Lighting ULEVA Hemp Products Wana Brands Edibles Witlon Inc. Payroll Processing You Deserve a Massage Vibroacoustic Sound Lounge

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

A

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder + Editor in Chief stephanie.wilson@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large Leland Rucker Senior Editor John Lehndorff Dining Editor Helen Olsson Copy Chief

Addison Herron-Wheeler, Sean Jansen, Tracy Ross, Mona Van Joseph, Susan Winston Contributing Writers M A N AG I N G E D I TO R S Dawn Garcia Southern California Debbie Hall Las Vegas, Nevada

Nora Mounce Emerald Triangle, California Darralynn Hutson Detroit, Michigan Patty Malesh North Bay, California Aaron Bible Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Jenny Wilden Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Leandra Romero Coachella Valley, California DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Josh Clark Designer Kiara Lopez Designer Jason Jones Designer VIDEO Jeremy Pape Head of Production John Gray Production Videographer PRODUCTION Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Manager Hector Irizarry Head of Distribution

EDITOR’S NOTE

A lot of old traditions should be left in the past.

Here’s one: Historically, Leap Day was a day women had the right to propose to men who were taking too long to commit.

One day, every four years, women were free to go after what they wanted—which is both sexist and progressive. I asked the universe how I should feel. It told me to stop asking it questions and to check out the gift the planet got for me and you and everyone: a whole extra day. Thanks, Earth!

Leap Day is a gift, and I propose we celebrate it by spending those free 24 hours going after what we want—whatever that may be. February 29 falls on a Saturday this year, a planetary/ calendar alignment that happens once every 28 years. Until we make Leap Year an official holiday, this year’s free day affords the greatest chance for many to make the most out of the planetary gift. What will you do with your big day?

While you’re thinking about it, I’ll share big news on the brand front: we’ve launched a brand new website and a new magazine market. Check out sensimag.com, where you’ll see all our editions, including the new Sensi Tampa, our third edition to launch in a market where cannabis is still under prohibition. From the start, our mission has been to show cannabis as a beneficial part of a well-rounded, wellness-driven lifestyle in any city. That message was easy to spread in Colorado, then California, Vegas, Boston, and Detroit, but now we have the chance to showcase that lifestyle to markets where “the new normal” isn’t quite normal yet. It’s an opportunity we don’t take lightly, and I’m humbled whenever I take a step back and consider how incredible it is to be a part of a team of people driven to make a difference, to spark change in their communities, to stand up as advocates for the end of the madness that convinced generations of people to fear a plant that’s long been known to provide so much good.

On the new site, you’ll be able to find information about upcoming Sensi events in all 14 of our current markets, including Denver’s February 12 gathering. If you’re in the area, you should come by, see what this new normal is all about. We’d love to have you. Sensi has a way of bringing good people together.

Leap Day is a gift, and I propose we celebrate it by spending those 24 free hours going after what we want— whatever that may be.

Let’s connect.

Stephanie Wilson @stephwilll F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

15

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

17

CALLING ALL SNEAKERHEADS 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 ma18 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

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.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

—Barack Obama (Reminder: Presidents’ Day is Feb. 17)

PHOTO COURTESY OF TECNICA

Tecnicaʼs Origin is a high-tech custommoldable trail shoe.

CONTRIBUTORS

Aaron H. Bible, Eli Dupin, Dawn Garcia, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Doug Schnitzspahn, Stephanie Wilson

COMING SOON Here’s a look at new releases.

With the awards season in full gear, it’s also a time for some fun new releases in film and TV. On the big screen, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn gives new meaning to female prowess with Birds of Prey: The Emancipation of Harley Quinn opening February 7.

This long-awaited female-led film will throw you into a seductive, violent tailspin that will feed your need for a strong badass movie, welcoming you back into the DC Comics universe.

Releasing that same day is a dark and bloody indie horror flick starring Elijah Wood called Come to Daddy. In the vein of reviving the past, the film Fantasy Island (inspired by the 1970s TV show) will release on Valentine’s Day, and it’s anything but campy. Guests are invited to the most seemingly perfect island to live out their fantasies, but what they’ve asked for is dark and twisted and will push them to their limits.

Keep your eyes peeled for the long-awaited remake of The Invisible Man, written and directed by Leigh Whannell. Opening February 28, the film stars Elizabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

Netflix releases Locke and Key on February 7, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You on February 12, and Season 2 of Narcos: Mexico on February 13. Hulu releases the premiere of High Fidelity on February 14, Starz releases the long-awaited Season 5 of Outlander on February 16, and AMC releases Season 5 of Better Call Saul on February 23.

BY THE NUMBERS

80K

ACRES Amount of Colorado cropland thatʼs been converted to hemp

$424,051 The median home price in metro Denver, up from $202,896 in 2010

25

DEGREES FARENHEIT

The forecasted average temp in Denver this month SOURCE: Farmerʼs Almanac

122

PARTY WITH THE GODS

Colorado Springs will soon have a new place to party.

Veteran-owned Red Leg Brewing Company is building an $8 million, 14,000-square-foot playground with a brewery, taproom, food court, and outdoor event center on two and a half acres near the entrance to Garden of the Gods Park. The new space for sips is expected to open this summer.

Red Leg founder Todd Baldwin says the project “cements our dedication to make Red Leg a permanent fixture in our community, not just as a brewery, but as an operation that all of Colorado Springs can enjoy and be proud of.”

Red Legʼs mission is to “serve those who serve,” and the company is named for the red stripe that Civil War artillery soldiers wore on the battlefield. North of Douglas County, its beers can only be found at Buckley Air Force Base.

Red Leg Brewing / redlegbrewing.com

BURGLARIES Number of break-ins at Denver dispensaries in 2019—a three-year high

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

19

PEACH BELLINI

STRAWBERRY MARGARITA

SATIVA

WITH A HINT OF SALT

CBD/THC 1:1

PINA COLADA INDICA

THE BUZZ

IGNITE WITH FLAVOR

Heart of the Matter Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. If youʼre thinking, Yeah, but not Colorodans, weʼre fit folks, youʼre not wrong. But that doesnʼt get you off the hook. In the Centennial State, heart disease is the second leading cause of death after cancer, according to the most recent data Itʼs American Heart Month, and not just because of the candies demanding you to Be Mine. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute teams up with The Heart Truth to celebrate by motivating Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease.

This year, the cam-

paign centers around four week-long themes: Be physically active together. Eat healthier together.

Track your heart health steps together.

Manage stress, sleep better, and quit smoking together.

Notice a theme?

Together, weʼll figure it out. Because it really is simple. Get it together, get together, and move more.

As little as 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity—a brisk walk does the trick—helps your heart. For major health benefits, aim for at least two and a half hours a week, or amp up the intensity to a more vigorous activity. Youʼll get the same benefits from 75 minutes spent playing

basketball, running, or jumping ropes.

Canʼt carve out a lot of time in your day? Chunk it. Try getting 10 minutes of movement a few times a day. Get outside and walk for five minutes, turn around, and walk back. Dance like no one is watching for three songs.

Being active can protect your heart (even if you have heart disease), improve blood flow, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and give you more stamina and ability to cope with stress.

Make being active part of your everyday routine. Take a yoga class with a friend. Go for a walk with your neighbor. Do strength exercises while watching TV. Drop into a plank when youʼre waiting for the microwave to warm your tea. Take the stairs.

Just do it. Wearing Nikes is optional.

Dan Bilzerian, known as “The King of Instagram,” first built his empire using social media marketing. In 2017, he launched Ignite, a line of CBD products, which has since expanded to include vapes, drops, toothpicks, topicals, pet products, gummies, and lip balm. Flavor profiles include blood orange, lemon, cherry, lavender, and tropical fruit. Its all-natural CBD drops are blended with essential oils. Topicals are made with 100 percent plant-based ingredients. Its newest products are the 350 mg full-spectrum drops and bath bombs.

Available online at ignitevapes.co.

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, are durable, and the polarized glass lenses cut glare on the water. $199–$219 / costadelmar.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

21

THE BUZZ

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.

“Love is scary: it changes, it can go away. That’s part of the risk.”

—Jenny Han, in To All the Boys I Loved Before, adapted by Netflix into a 2018 romantic comedy hit.

The sequel hits Netflix this month, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

22 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE BUZZ

Signs of the Signs With three tear-out prints of each zodiac sign and other astrological charts, Instant Wall Art: Astrological Designs will fill your home—and the homes of your compatible friends—with good vibes.

Instant Wall Art: Astrological Designs $19 at Barnes and Noble

$19 at Barnes and Noble

Come On, Get Appy Going through something?

We all experience moments when we could use some support. Some of those moments are life-changing, while others are a part of everyday life. If you need to get it off your chest, you need to get Happy, the app.

Described by Vice as “like Uber but for ‘Happy Givers,’”

to a healthier heart should be filled with warm-hearted companions. For every individual caller referred by the American Heart Association through May Happy connects you to one 31, 2021, Happy will donate of more than 2,000 trained a free first-time call valued listeners who aren’t there to at $24 to the American offer advice or give feedback. Heart Association’s Support They’re just there to support Network, for a minimum you and make you feel heard. donation of $50,000. So They’ll give you the space to download the App now. Call, speak openly, anonymously, get support, and be happy. for as long as you’d like.

Available for free on the Apple App February is American Store and Google Play happythemovement.com Heart Month, and the path F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

23

THEY ULTIMAX EXPAND YOUR BRAND

large format printing | plastic fabrication design | kitting & fulďŹ llment

303.424.1281

24 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

ultimaxinc.com

F EB RUARY 2020

THE BUZZ

PHOTO BY JUNE COCHRAN

Taste of the Town Don’t wait until Denver Restaurant Week begins to make your reservations.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Denver Restaurant Week—it actually runs for 10 days— kicks off February 21 and runs through March 1, during which time hundreds of top restaurants offer multicourse dinners for $25, $35, or $45.

This is your chance to sample local favorites, up-and-coming establishments, national chains, even spots showcasing the culinary

prowess of James Beard award-winning chefs.

The best spots started booking up weeks ago, so move swiftly to get one of the town’s coveted tables. Go early, go often, and if you find a spot you love, go back again and again.

While Denver’s restaurant landscape exploded in conjunction with the city’s growing population and popularity over the last decade, some chefs

fear the market is oversaturated and underreported. And it’s getting even more so by the day now that Eater, everyone’s go-to resource for info on where to dine and drink in town, has ceased covering the Mile High.

Without updated Heat Maps, how will we determine where to brunch?

We’ve got some ideas cooking. Keep an eye on this space.

PHOTO BY VISIT DENVER.

denverrestaurantweek.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

25

info@waxnax.com waxnax.com

Smart Insurance Protection.

Unmatched Service.

Whereetheefocussoffourrbusinesssissyourrprotectionn eWeeareeyourrlocallindependentt insuranceeagencyycommitteddtoo helpinggyouuprotecttalllareassoffyourr businesssanddlifeee Weehaveetheeexperienceeandd expertiseetoonavigateetheeuniqueeriskss thattyouumighttfacee

26 DE N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

waxnax_co

CONVENIENT AND SIMPLE

DOSE CONTROL, CONSISTENCY, AND INCREASED FLAVOR WITH WAXNAX. WELCOME TO THE CONCENTRATE REVOLTUION.

THE BUZZ

Born to Entertain

Chuck Lorre to receive the Art Directors Guild award for cinematic imagery.

If you’ve watched TV in the last couple of decades, it is likely you have seen the name Chuck Lorre in the opening credits.

Creator of highly successful television shows, including The Big Bang Theory (the longest running multi-camera comedy in television history), Two and a Half Men, Mom, and Disjointed, as well as the recently acclaimed The Kominsky Method, Lorre has had an impressive career. The Art Directors Guild agrees wholeheartedly, and on February 1, Lorre will be presented with the 2020 ADG Award for Cinematic Imagery.

“Chuck Lorre is one of television’s most prolific and successful writers/directors/ producers,” says ADG President Nelson Coates. “[His] storytelling prowess as a showrunner is amplified by the significance he places on production design in the creation of the worlds his fascinating characters navigate.”

The ADG’s Cinematic Imagery Award is given to those whose body of work in the film and television industry has richly enhanced the visual aspects of the viewer’s experience. In addition to being one of the few showrunners keeping the multi-camera sitcom alive, Lorre also established The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation in 2015, focusing on supporting innovative and compassionate organizations in the areas of education, health, and the arts.

The ADG was established in 1937 and represents 2,700 members who work in film, television, and theater as production designers, art directors, set designers, model makers, illustrators, and matte artists. To learn more, visit adg.org.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

27

PREMIUM COLORADO CANNABIS Pre Roll ounce

$100 OTD

--------------------------Nomad Live Resin Gram

$45 OTD

GANJA DAYS! REC FLOWER

$24 1/8 $135 oz.

--------------------------*REC PRICES INCLUDE TAX

OPEN DAILY: 8AM-10PM 2268 S. DELAWARE ST., DENVER, CO www.MIGHTYTREECO.com

28 DE N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

®

®

CALL US: 800-4FOXFARM

VISIT US: FoxFarm.com

A New Dimension Paper-engineering obsessives create the first pop-up book to explore the world of cannabis.

Dimensional Cannabis includes six pop-up pages, including this colorful, meditating figure that dominates the medical spread. It was designed

by Isabel Uria.

30 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

Collaboration is a wonderful thing. When my friend Rosston Meyer told me a few years ago that he was planning a pop-up cannabis book, I thought it sounded like a great idea. I knew Meyer ran an independent publishing house designing pop-up books in colF EB RUARY 2020

laboration with artists.

Meyer is a designer with a passion for art and pop culture, so I imagined his books were a modern upgrade of the old-school pop-up books I played with as a child—3-D elements and foldouts, tabs to pull and wheels to spin—but with a modern

aesthetic that appeals to adults. “A pop-up on pot would be cool to flip through and play with,” I remember thinking. “I hope he does it.”

A few years later, Meyer came around to show me a physical mock-up of his potthemed pop-up, which

he’d titled Dimensional Cannabis. What he showed me was a modern art form I wasn’t aware existed. Yes, the book featured 3-D elements and foldouts, with tabs to pull and wheels to spin, but what I had pictured was similar only in concept.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF POPOSITION PRESS

TEXT LELAND RUCKER

GET YOUR OWN

Dimensional Cannabis: The Pop-Up Book of Marijuana Poposition Press, $50 marijuanapopup.com

These were intricate and elaborate kinetic paper sculptures that painted a picture and brought it to life. I was blown away. So, when he asked if I’d be interested in writing the words to go on the pages before me, I signed on immediately.

Altogether, Dimensional Cannabis took more than three years to complete, with a total of nine people contributing to the final product published by Poposition Press, Meyer’s independent publishing house.

A small press, Poposition designs, publishes, and distributes limited-edition pop-up books that feature artists or subjects that Meyer

finds of deep personal interest. He got started in the genre in 2013, when he started working on a collaboration with Jim Mahfood, a comic book creator known as Food One. The resulting Pop-Up Funk features Mahfood’s diverse designs transformed into interactive three-dimensional pop-ups. The limited-edition run of 100 copies were all constructed by hand.

Since then, Poposition has worked with a number of contemporary artists to publish titles like Triad by cute-culture artist Junko Mizunoand and the Necronomicon by macabre master Skinner.

Meyer has been fascinated by pop-up books

since he was a kid, and in 2013, he began concentrating on paper engineering and book production. “After making a couple books focused on just artists, I thought that creating a pop-up book about cannabis would be a good idea,” he says. “There’s nothing else like it in the market, and there’s an audience for adultthemed pop-up books.”

For Dimensional Cannabis, Meyer collaborated with Mike Giant, a renowned American illustrator, graffiti writer, tattooer, and artist. Giant’s medium of choice is a Sharpie, and Giant’s detailed line work is instantly recognizable. An avid proponent of canna-

bis, Giant illustrated the entire Dimensional Cannabis book.

Giant and Meyer met at a weekly open studio Giant hosted in Boulder. “When the idea of doing a pop-up book about cannabis came up, he asked if I would illustrate it,” Giant says.

“I’ve been an advocate for cannabis use for decades, so it didn’t take long for me to agree to work on the project.”

Meyer began by sending Giant reference materials to visualize. “I’d get it drawn out, hand it off, and get some more stuff to illustrate,” Giant says. “He’d send me previews of the finished pages as we went. It was really cool to see my line drawings colored and cut to shape. That process went on for months and months until everything for the book was accounted for.”

The process of making pop-up books is called “paper engineering.” I love obsessives, and the engineers who put this book together, make no mistake, are the ones who spend endless hours figuring out the tiniest details of the folds and materials necessary so a water pipe emerges every time you open the paraphernalia page.

“David Carter and I started talking about the

The cultivation spread was done by the late Roger Culbertson, and includes tabs with information on the plantʼs genetics, growing and curing.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

31

The security team your staff deserves!

#WEAREINVICTA invictagrp.com

|

(720) 502-0307

|

PO Box 11516, Denver, CO 80211

|

@invicta.group

THE LIFE

Left: The paraphernalia spread shows the many ways people consume cannabis, and includes many items, including a clear, acetate bong, rolling papers and vaporizer.

It was produced by Ray Marshall, who, Meyer says, “basically knocked it out of the park on his first version.”

Below Well-known illustrator Mike Giant provided the cover, with Kevin Steele providing the coloring for the bookʼs six pop-up spreads

idea a couple years prior to actually starting on the book,” Meyer says. “The initial concepts for each spread were figured out, and a different paper-engineer peer was asked to design each spread so that the book had variation throughout.”

Dimensional Cannabis is divided into seven pages, or spreads, covering the cannabis plant’s biology, medical properties, cultivation, history, and influence on popular culture. The paraphernalia page features many items

we associate with cannabis consumption over the years in America, from rolling papers and pipes to vaporizers, dabs, and concentrates—and that foot-long bong that miraculously appears as you turn the page.

One spread opens to the full plant, with information on its unique and fascinating properties. Another opens to a colorful, meditating figure with text about the healing properties of cannabis. One page is dedicated to its cultiva-

tion possibilities, basic genetics, and the differences between indoor and outdoor growing.

The history spread takes us back to the beginnings of the curious and long-standing connection between humans and cannabis.

Engineer Simon Arizpe had worked with Meyer before and jumped at the chance to work on that one. “I wanted it to be Eurasian-centric as the viewer opens the page, showing the early uses of cannabis in ancient Viet-

FOR COLLECTORS The Collectorʼs Edition of Dimensional Cannabis: The Pop-Up Book of Marijuana includes an enhanced pop-up book with gold-foil case wrap, a foil-stamped slipcase, The Good Stuff enamel pin, and a Dope art print on hemp paper.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

33

34 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

THE LIFE

Arizpe feels like the entire project is an example of what can be done working with talented people outside the traditional publishing engine.

“Rosston came up with an idea that has a big following and made it happen,” he says. “It is pretty exciting when people can do that out of nothing.”

“Having different paper engineers work on each spread made this a real collaboration.”

-Rosston Meyer

For Meyer, who says he likes a good sativa when he’s working, the project was a labor of love that spans all his areas of interest. “Not only was this a great experience putting together such a unique book, but having different paper engineers work on each spread made this a real collaboration,” he says.

“There have only been a couple pop-up books produced with a roster of engineers…Dimensional Cannabis is for cannabis lovers and pop-up book collectors alike.”

FOR CONISSEURS The Connoisseur Edition of Dimensional Cannabis ($420) comes with a wooden laser-etched slipcover, two sets of enamel pins, a Dope art print, and a Gramps art print, both on hemp paper.

Meyer originally conceived a scene showing people looking at the book, which morphed into a celebration of the universality of the plant in many cultures and people throughout history.

PHOTO CREDIT

nam and China,” Arizpe says. “As the viewer engages with the pop-up, cannabis’s use in the new world spreads across the page,” he adds. “We decided [to focus] on moments in time that were either politically relevant, like weed legalization, or culturally significant, like Reefer Madness.”

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

35

36 D EN V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE LIFE

PHOTO BY HISTORY COLORADO ELEVATE PHOTOGRAPHY

C U LT U R E

100 Years in the Making History Colorado commemorates the centennial of the 19th Amendment.

TEXT ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER

When the decade that came to be known as the Roaring Twenties began, women had been fighting to win the right

to vote for nearly a century. More than seven decades had passed since the first national Woman’s Rights Con-

vention at Seneca Falls, where the Declaration of Sentiments was written and declared: “We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator certain inalienable

rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Most of the delegates to the Seneca Falls

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

37

THE LIFE C U LT U R E

(LEFT) PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY / (RIGHT) PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / (BOTTOM ROW) PHOTOS BY HISTORY COLORADO ELEVATE PHOTOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Ensley, African American leader in the Colorado suffrage movement.

en’s suffragists and their opponents came to a climactic clash during the summer months in Tennessee. The state’s House voted to pass the 19th Amendment on August 18, and eight days later, it officially became part of the Constitution on August 26, 1920. This year marks the 100th anniversary of that milestone,

year by History Colorado and the Women’s Vote Centennial Commission, is taking a hard look at those ups and downs.

Governor Jared Polis, History Colorado, and the Colorado WVC Commission joined forces to honor the Women’s Vote Centennial commemoration of the 19th Amendment. Festivi-

Colorado's ratification of the 19th Amendment on Dec. 12, 1919.

Convention had agreed in 1848 that American women were autonomous individuals who deserved their own political identities, but their country didn’t see it that way. An amendment guaranteeing all citizens the right to vote was ratified in 1868—but it defined “citizens” as white males. In 1870, the definition expanded to include black

males too. For the next 50 years, women fought for the same Constitutional consideration. By the end of 1919, Congress finally passed a federal women’s suffrage amendment to the US Constitution, but it had yet to be ratified by the states.

With the 1920 presidential election drawing near, the decades-long battle between wom-

ties include a traveling which is now celebrated as Women’s Equality Day. exhibit about women’s suff rage, a guest speakRepresenting Colorado er series, and other activities that celebrate The last hundred years have sent women’s rights a woman’s place in the polling place. on a roller coaster ride “History Colorado, of gained advances and in partnership with the continued hardships.

Women’s Vote CentenniThe Women’s Vote al Commission, is leading Centennial Colorado the Women’s Vote Cen2020 (WVC) project in tennial Colorado 2020 iniDenver and throughout Colorado, celebrated this tiative, which is a project F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

39

THE LIFE C U LT U R E

to mark and explore the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment,” says Jillian Allison, director of the Center for Colorado Women’s History. “Colorado women were able to vote prior to that, so we’re also looking at that with our exhibit and events.

Another major theme of the commemoration will be the many barriers to

ries—titled “Bold Women.

Change History.”—will feature humanitarians who have carried the spirit of suffrage into modern times. Road to the Vote, the traveling exhibit currently making its way across the state, is a look back at how women gained hardearned rights. The exhibit’s visual history will engage both young and old.

DEEDS, NOT WORDS Put the suffragette motto into action and vote like our lives depend on it.

The Colorado primary elections are March 3.

(LEFT) PHOTO COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO / (BOTTOM ROW) PHOTOS BY HISTORY COLORADO ELEVATE PHOTOGRAPHY

A Colorado billboard, circa 1910-1920.

voting that women continued to face after 1920.”

This statewide initiative aims to reach every county in the state, so the Center for Colorado Women’s History is working with community partners such as museums, libraries, clubs, businesses, and anyone else who wants to bring awareness to the importance of the vote. A guest speakers’ se-

“Organizations around the state are invited to participate and join in grassroots efforts that will explore the journey and struggle to achieve voting rights, understand the contributions of women in Colorado history, and underscore the value of our voices in democracy today,” reads the governor’s official statement about commemora-

tion. “The Women’s Vote Centennial Colorado statewide effort officially commences a year of educational programming, community engagement and Partnerships.” There is a lot of official pomp and circumstance around this celebration, and with good reason.

“Let’s remember those who fought on our behalf, explore the stories of

success and setback, and most of all, let’s continue to vote,” reads the group’s website. With slogans like “You shape history every time you vote,” the exhibit sends a strong message.

Next in the History Books It’s serendipitous that this anniversary coincides with such a pivotal election year. Given that, in 2016, the American people failed F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

41

42 D EN V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE LIFE C U LT U R E

(LEFT) PHOTO COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO (RIGHT) PHOTO COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO. (BOTTOM) PHOTOS BY HISTORY COLORADO ELEVATE PHOTOGRAPHY

Womens Vote Centennial Colorado Day Proclamation

on issues like cannabis prohibition and protections for trans rights.

“We definitely wanted to bring awareness to ongoing issues when we launched the Center for Colorado Women’s History,” Allison says. “Our focus can help shine a light on the struggles of the past and successes of women— ways that they’ve broken

the impact of gerrymandering, voter suppression, and how current patterns mimic historic struggles.

It’s one of many events lined up throughout the year, listed on the History Colorado website (historycolorado.org).

“It’s only January 16, and we have already had over 100 events and activities posted to our

GRAB ʻEM BY THE BALLOT BOX A vote is a terrible thing to waste. Register to vote, update your information, change party affiliation, check your ballot status, find your polling location, and more on the Colorado Secretary of Stateʼs website, sos.state.co.us.

Colorado women at a polling place in Denver. Date unknown.

Governor Hickenlooper signing the executive order creating the Womenʼs Vote Centennial Commission on January 3, 2019.

to elect Hillary Clinton, an expected shoe-in as the first female president of the United States, this celebration is especially timely. It’s notable that 100 years after women earned the right to vote, a woman still has yet to be elected.

Is 2020 the year?

When it comes to presidential elections, Colorado is an important battleground state, and it

has long been an important place for politics. In 1893, Colorado became the first state to make it illegal deny citizens the right to vote based on sex alone—more than 25 years before the country made the same move.

Colorado paved the way for the 19th Amendment, a pioneering spirit that still runs strong with the state now leading the way

barriers and made changes. If we learn from the past, we can make a better Colorado.”

With that in mind, the organization has set up programming to help highlight issues still relevant today. On February 12, the speaker series welcomes civil rights activist and author Carol Anderson to History Colorado for a discussion exploring

community calendar,” Allison says. “People are hosting events that tie in with the theme, and we’re encouraging more people to reach out if they want to get involved. I like the simple idea that making your voice heard by voting has such an impact in our communities, locally and nationally. We can all get involved, and it’s really powerful.”

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

43

44 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

THE LIFE REVIEW

CBN for ZZZ Don’t sleep on this lesser-known cannabinoid that may help you sleep.

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

Sleep is a vital sign of health and well-being, and I’m an insomniac— have been for as long as I’ve been an adult. I’m also a magazine junkie, so every month I read another article about the importance of rest-

ful shut-eye and tips to help me achieve it. And I’ve tried them all, to no avail.

I bought blackout curtains, a white noise machine, and an eye mask. Never much of a coffee drinker, I cut out

any remaining caffeine (and became less aggro, but that’s a different story for another issue). I avoided electronics for an hour before getting into bed; I did nightly wind-down bedtime rituals; I only

got into bed when it was time to sleep; I left my devices in the other room. I even got my dog a heated bed that she preferred over sleeping with me. I tried all these things, but sleep still evaded me.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

45

Taking the guesswork out of cannabis.

www.pax.com NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS. PAX DOES NOT PRODUCE, MANUFACTURE OR DISTRIBUTE CANNABIS. © 2019 PAX Labs, Inc. All rights reserved. PAX LABS, PAX, PAX 2, PAX 3, PAX Logo, X (Stylized), ERA, ERA PRO, and PAXsmart are all trademarks of PAX Labs, Inc. US and International Patents Pending.

Patents: pax.com/intellectual-property-list

THE LIFE REVIEW

A brief period of reprieve followed my move to Colorado, as I began experimenting with cannabis as a sleep aid. If I smoked a little before bed, I’d fall asleep only to wake up an hour or so later when the effects had worn off. I tried edibles, which helped me fall asleep and stay asleep for hours. After a few nights in a row of some solid sleep, I remember waking up feeling rested and thinking I had found my miracle cure. But then my tolerance started building, and 5 mg wasn’t doing the trick. Then 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and next thing I’d be lying in the dark, high and paranoid all night long. Even if I got some decent sleep, I was waking up foggy. For so many people, cannabis works as an invaluable sleep aid with little to no side effects. That wasn’t the case with me.

Enter CBD. A few years ago, CBD was nowhere; now it’s everywhere. Almost literally.

Walk into a convenience store, and boom! CBD gummies by the register. CBD water in the refrigerator. Wander into Sephora, and CBD serums, body lotions, and moisturizers await. Drive down I-25 and you’ll see stores dedicated to the cannabinoid. Check my inbox, and you’ll be over-

My anecdotal evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again. I’m feeling better than I have in basically ever. A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

whelmed by a thousand unread emails from PR agencies and agents announcing the launch of a new CBD brand or the release of a first-of-itskind cannabidiol product. And those are only from the last six months.

It comes in all forms: topical pain creams and tinctures, water, and wine. There’s infused water for pets, infused cereals for breakfast, suppository lubes for sex, and infused Flaming Hot Cheeto knockoffs for afternoon snacks.

When it seems we’ve reached the CBD mania apex, someone somewhere thinks there’s another buck to be made off the craze, and CBD toothpicks, hair pomades, candles, workout gear, bedsheets, and pillows hit the already flooded marketplace. Ridiculous, ubiquitous.

Yet somehow, 35 percent of Americans in a Gallup poll last summer said they aren’t familiar with it or its products. That same poll found that one in seven Americans are using CBD products on a regular basis—a statistic that makes much more sense, given the countless articles and testimonials attesting to its power, painting CBD as an all-natural miracle, a wonder-drug cure-

all for anxiety, pain, depression, seizure disorders, arthritis, anger, sleeplessness…

Since you’re reading Sensi, I’m going to assume you were not part of the 35 percent before you started this article, and I’m not telling you anything new. So far. But have you heard about CBN? Cannabinol, or CBN, is one of more than a hundred cannabinoids that have been identified in the cannabis plant. THC and CBD are the two that garner all the attention, and they are the most dominant.

A lesser cannabinoid, CBN was actually the first one scientists discovered in the 1940s.

It occurs in cannabis in much smaller doses until the plant ages and oxidizes, which causes THC to convert to CBN. And it’s about to get its turn in the spotlight.

Actually, “nightlight” would be a more appropriate place for CBN. Cannabinol appears to have potentially high sedative effects along with a host of other potential benefits, the most promising of which is as a sleep aid.

Since the FDA classified cannabis as a Schedule I drug in the same category as heroin during the 1970s, F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

47

THE LIFE REVIEW

researchers have been prevented from studying the plant’s medicinal potential. While that’s changing, there’s a lot of catching up to do, so double-blind, controlled studies and clinical trials have yet to be completed.

But anecdotal evidence is in, and CBN is being touted as an all-natural cure for insomnia by cannabis experts and outlets. So, when I saw emails with CBN in the subject line hit my inbox, I didn’t leave them unread. Instead I reached out and asked to try the product being pitched so I could offer my own an-

ecdotal accounts of CBN as a cure for insomnia.

Two months and a lot of full nights of sleep later, my anecdotal evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again. I’ve incorporated the cannabinoid into my daily routine, and I’m feeling better than I have in basically ever.

It’s amazing what a little sleep can do. A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

Don’t just believe me; try it yourself. Like every drug, CBN affects everybody differently. These two both worked for me.

to induce a deep, restorative sleep.

High in CBD and naturally occurring CBN, coupled with soft aromatic notes of cedarwood, black pepper, and California pine, the Sleep formula is proven MINERAL to help calm the mind and encourage deep, reSleep Tincture How they describe it: storative sleep.

For anxiety-induced inAll Mineral products somnia. Because you de- are organically grown serve to feel good. on a small farm in ColFormulated for those orado that averages a suffering from night limited run of only four time anxiety and inharvests a year. flammation, Sleep is a No cannabinoid actblend of calming caning independently will nabinoids and terpenes express the benefit exassociated with sedation perienced when con-

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

49

HARVESTER SERIES

ENGINEERED FOR BEST INDOOR GROW.

TRUSOLIS LED

VS

HPS

Smartcooling® Thermodynamic Technology Tested & Proven results by Commercial Growers > 50% Energy reduction vs HPS > 50% Reduction in HVAC cost 40% Less Water Usage 7 Year Limited Warranty Patented Technology DLC CERTIFIED 100% Recycable MADE IN

LABELS & PACKAGING

DIGITIAL PRINTING

APPLICATION

PROMO ITEMS

CORPORATE IDENTITY

GRAPHIC DESIGN

PERSONALIZED SERVICE

FAST DELIVERY

USA

1-833-878-7654

www.TruSolis.com

info@trusolis.com

Encore Catering

50 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

CannapressPrinting.com | 720.336.3955 | info@cannapressprinting.com

THE LIFE REVIEW

NEXT MONTH: THE TRUTH ABOUT CBD SKINCARE Read all of our CBD coverage on our newly designed website, sensimag.com.

suming the whole plant, so Mineral utilizes the hemp plant in its entirety—stalks, stems, and buds—maximizing the omega fatty acids and vitamins in their extraction process.

To keep the product consistent, the brand’s identified formula-specific seeds from Oregon that produce plants with characteristics incumbent to accomplish the targeted benefits of the products.

After sourcing the seeds from Oregon, Mineral supplies them to Waayb Organics in Longmont, Colorado, and Waayb leads the cultivation of the plants on an outdoor, seasonal, organic grow. After harvest, processing, and CO2 extraction, the products go through testing for cannabinoid sequence, terpenes, pesticides, and quality.

Editor’s note: With that much quality control, it’s no wonder GQ included Mineral on its Best Stuff of 2019 list and that Neiman Marcus picked up the line for its stores.

herbs. The CBD, for overall health and stress relief, and CBN for insomnia relief, result from gentle full-flower extraction from organically grown Colorado hemp for a complete cannabinoid profi le. $160 for 60 servings mineralhealth.co Other beneficial ingredients include reishi Prismatic Plants mushrooms, oatstraw, and ashwagandha Good Night for positive mood and Tincture How they describe it: support of the nervous Formulated with CBN and immune systems; and calming adaptogens, skullcap for stress this nighttime formula and muscle-tension repromotes deep sleep and lief; and valerian root boosts immunity during the body’s overnight repair mode. Its long-term effects include a return to a natural circadian rhythm, enhanced immunity, improved reproductive health, and more energy during the day.

Made with an adaptogenic blend of CBD, CBN, medicinal mushrooms, and organic

(a.k.a nature’s Valium), California poppy, and lavender for anxiety and insomnia relief. Pure, effective, safe ingredients formulated to provide immediate relief and continually enhance health through longterm use. $70 for a month’s supply prismaticplants.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

51

THE LIFE REVIEW

Extract Labs CBG Oil $95 for 30 mL extractlabs.com

Full-spectrum CO2 hemp oil extracted from Colorado hemp has a one-to-one ratio of 500 mg CBG to 500 mg CBD. The non-flavored tincture tastes like the plants from which it was extracted, processed, and formulated. The standard dose is 1 to 2 ml, taken as needed, recommended twice a day, morning and night.

But for what? That’s not as clear. An up-and-coming cannabinoid, CBG is currently being studied for its potential pharmacological properties, but no clinical trials have been completed yet. So far, in-vitro and rat studies have shown some indications that CBD may help with colitis, neurodegeneration, and cancer. While there’s no proof

as of yet, CBG shows promise as a treatment for glaucoma, and it may have antibacterial properties for MRSA, a potentially fatal type of staph infection that’s resistant to traditional antibiotics.

It shows major promise for inflammation, including of the skin—think: eczema and psoriasis treatment. Combine that with its antibacterial properties, and CBG could be useful for acne and other bacterial skin conditions. It’s also shown promise helping inflammatory bowel disease and colitis, as well as Huntington’s disease.

Extract Labs in Boulder produces this first-of-its-kind tincture. Expect to see more CBG products entering the market in 2020.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

53

Love is in the Air STOP BY LIGHTSHADE AND CHECK OUT OUR EXTENSIVE SELECTION OF FLOWER, EDIBLES, TOPICALS, TINCTURES AND VAPES TO ELEVATE YOUR NEW YEAR ADVENTURES.

54 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

THE LIFE OUTDOORS

Casting for Nature’s Survivors California’s North Coast is where fishing enthusiasts can go after the ultimate prize-Steelhead—if they’re willing to rise to the challenge.

TEXT SEAN JANSEN

The rain never seems to let up. The wet forecast is endless, and the ground moisture sneaks into your boots with every

step. The trees continually drip with dew like a spring with an endless reserve. It’s no coincidence. The Emerald Tri-

angle is geographically perched where the ocean meets the mountains.

Tectonic plates continually shift and change

the landscape like every wave that crashes on the shore, moving sand to its place like an artist with his paintbrush. With blue F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

55

THE LIFE OUTDOORS

squiggly lines, the artist connects the mountains to the sea, representing the most erosive force on the planet and one of the greatest natural spectacles on Earth: the life cycle of salmon.

Pacific salmon are born in the rivers of the North Coast before charging their way to spawning grounds upstream. When salmon

those rainbow trout, steelhead also make a migration to the sea like their salmon cousins.

Steelhead consume diverse nutrients from the ocean, allowing them to reach a size and strength comparable to salmon.

They also return to fresh water, but unlike salmon, steelhead don’t die immediately after their pilgrimage. They either

It takes outrageous perseverance and grit to withstand winter coastal storms while patiently waiting to nab a steelhead—it feels like a lightning bolt striking the end of a line. are mature enough, they swim west to the sea and fatten up. There, salmon live most of their lives in saltwater until they are ready to spawn, returning to the same river where they were born to die, leaving behind their bodies as nutrients for the trees and surrounding environment.

On the contrary, steelhead are a variety of rainbow trout, much like the ones we catch in lakes, rivers, and streams. But unlike

return to the sea again or remain in the river, making them the ultimate prize for the coastal angler. As the North Coast boasts dozens of world-class rivers and streams, all of which are home to steelhead and salmon, the region is a drool-worthy location for any fly-fisher.

Beyond the steep investment needed to purchase gear, a California fishing license and a special steelhead report card are required to leF EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

57

THE LIFE OUTDOORS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean Jansen is a freelance photojournalist based in Humboldt County. He specializes in capturing the spirit of outdoor adventure on and off land in hopes of inspiring others to enjoy nature in Humboldt County and beyond.

gally fish. There is also a litany of regulations to follow depending on which body of water an angler wants to fish.

While accessibility to steelhead is prime on the North Coast, it doesn’t make the endeavor of landing a steelhead an easy one. They are considered one of the

hardest fish to catch on a fly. It takes outrageous perseverance and grit to withstand winter coastal storms while patiently waiting to nab a steelhead—it feels like a lightning bolt striking the end of a line. By the time an angler hooks a steelhead, the fish has dodged every predator in the ocean,

including seals, sharks, whales, and squid.

Setting foot in these rivers is to witness the power of nature while having a conversation with one of its enduring survivors. It’s hard to imagine a creature with more tenacity and strength than the steelhead. Their story and

their home are what make swinging flies for steelhead the ultimate prize. With the fog threading the trees, the cool turquoise water lapping up against your legs, and the redwoods towering overhead, chasing these ghost-like fish is a challenge and joy.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

59

www.westedison.com

ZERO TO TRACE PPM, YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE 2018 Connoisseurs Cup Winners!

1st Place: THCa - Wax - Live Resin 2nd Place: Shatter

Veteran owned and operated

60 D EN V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

(720) 328-8280

THE LIFE T R AV E L

Doing Dunedin

With an artistic vibe so strong even the sunsets look like modern paintings, Dunedin is just across the bay but a world away

CREDITS (FROM TOP): SHUTTERSTOCK / JC SULIVAN

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

Most days of the year, Dunedin appears to be a forgotten outpost of Old Florida, tucked along the central gulf coast.

About an hour west of Tampa with a population one-tenth the size, Dunedin can appear to the passersby heading to neighboring Clearwater Beach to be a quiet, tiny coastal town billing itself as a city on the welcome signs marking the borders of the so-smallif-you-blink-you’ll-missit downtown.

Don’t blink, and the multihued buildings lining the streets may catch your eye. Here old-world architecture dosed with acid orange, bright green, and grape hues showcases an artistic charm. Strategically placed around town, large-scale sculptures double as bicycle racks, and the Navel-orange-themed graffiti kicks up an artful vibe, a siren call of sorts to laid-back creative types, drawing them in to experience Dunedin’s ever-growing charms.

And this month, they descend upon Dunedin in droves. On February 22, 34,000 revelers are expected to come to the city for the 29th annual Dunedin Mardi Gras Parade and Festival—the largest celebration of its kind in the southeastern US. For perspective, the capacity of Universal Studios maxes out at 27,000; the population of Dunedin tallies just above 36,000. So, yeah: This. Is. Big. And it’s getting bigger every year, as people tell their people

who tell their people about that aforementioned vibe.

The buzz is building, and the secret is almost all the way out. Dunedin is one badass community, and it’s on the rise. Won’t be long before some high-profile travel writer describes it as an idyllic blend of funky Key West, open and artistic Provincetown, and progressively planned Austin. Go now, go often, and you’ll find yourself saying one day soon that you’ve known about Dunedin since way back when.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

61

THE LIFE

CREDITS (FROM TOP): SHUTTERSTOCK / SCOTT KEELER

T R AV E L

If you go for Mardi Gras, just be sure to get there early. The festivities run from noon through 11 p.m., with late-night raucousness spilling over into the bars and pubs.

The parade kicks off at 7 p.m., winding along the packed streets of an already compact downtown. If you can swing the $135 VIP ticket—unlimited beer and wine, cocktail samplers, New Orleans– inspired menu, executive rest room access—you’ll be happy you did.

Whether or not the massive party is your kind of scene, the cacophony of the crowd is likely to drown out the vibe that’s distinctly Dunedin, so plan to either go back or stay awhile and explore. There’s a whole lot to love, no matter which way your interests lean, and we’ve rounded up some highlights.

Sigh-inducing waterfront views. Dunedin is one of the few cities with an open waterfront—for nearly four miles, palm trees are the only things blocking views of the Intracoastal and the Gulf of Mexico beyond. There’s also a one-mile stretch of Edgewater Drive south of downtown that provides views of St. Joseph Sound, Clearwater Beach, and Caladesi Island.

A Main Street mentality. The town revolves la-

zily around its downtown nucleus, where the aptly named Main Street is the most appealing stretch, reasonably free of tourist kitsch. Instead of mass chain retailers, downtown Dunedin is franchise-free and thriving.

There are more than 100 privately owned businesses in the hip little downtown area—a charming, walkable community hugging the water’s edge where it’s easy to idle away an afternoon, wandering from home decor

store to vintage shop to art gallery to ice cream parlor to a palm-fringed café for an iced coffee or a sauvignon blanc, preferably from New Zealand so you can share this fact: There’s a Dunedin, New Zealand, named after the Gaelic word for the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.

Dunedin, Florida, was a Scottish outpost in 1899, and the country’s influence runs deep.

Florida’s first official Trail Town designation.

Bisecting downtown

Main Street, the Pinellas Trail is a 15-footwide, 40-mile haven for walkers, skaters, and bikers that runs on an old railway route. Credited with revitalizing the downtown core, the trail has been a hit with Floridians. You’ll see bikers wandering around hitting the shops and eateries, having locked up their rides at any of the aptly named Artistic Bicycle Racks, part of the city’s larger Public Art Masterplan. A signpost

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

63

THE LIFE T R AV E L

ists, gallery owners, musicians, and artsy types.

The result is a multilayered arts scene that the city government is focused on supporting and growing, with multiple initiatives enhancing the community’s sense of place and con-

nection. Dunedin Fine Arts Center (DFAC) is a great spot to dig into the local scene. An art critic at the Tampa Bay Times once described it as “the artistic equivalent of a village square.”

That’s a spot-on description. Much like the

CREDITS (FROM TOP): TRACY SOLOMON / SCOTT KEELER

stands where the Pinellas Trail crosses Main Street, pointing the way to local hot spots, shops, and galleries.

Artist colony feel.

There’s a laid-back bohemian air mixed with a touch of Florida Keys flair that attracts art-

town that surrounds it, it’s not a stuff y, pretentious place but rather a gathering spot for the community. Come as you are; fl ip-flops and shorts are welcome.

DFAC’s stated vision is to be the premier art center in Florida, providing educational, cultural, and creative experiences.

Craft beer pioneers. Established in 1995, Dunedin Brewery introduced Florida to craft brewing, kicking off a microbrew mania. The original brewery is credited with cultivating a hyper-local passion for craft beers, inspiring eight other breweries to open up within one mile of each other. Not a square mile, mind you. You can walk to all eight spots in a

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

65

THE LIFE T R AV E L

ing for fresh produce and gourmet items.

The beaches. One of Florida’s top-rated sandy stretches, Dunedin’s Honeymoon Island State Park has great swimming, fishing, shelling—and a Fido-friendly beach.

Spring Training stomping grounds.

Dunedin is one of the smallest spring train-

ing destinations for the MLB, but that didn’t stop the Toronto Blue Jays from committing to another 25-year lease. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Atlanta Braves on February 24 for the preseason’s first home-away-from-home game—and the first game in the newly renovated stadium.

Sunset celebrations. As the sun sinks toward the water on the horizon, a nightly spectacle unfolds, painting the sky mystically vibrant shades of pinks, oranges, purples, and blues. All it takes to cement adoration for Dunedin is a seat along the seawall at dusk. Take it in, lean in. Or lean back.

You’ll catch the vibe.

CREDITS (FROM TOP): ASRAI FLICKR / SHUTTERSTOCK

row in less than a mile, according to the Visit Dunedin’s brewery walking map.

Dedicated golf cart parking. Golf carts are a standard mode of transportation for locals, faster than walking and potentially safer than biking. While the Pinellas Trail is off-limits to the carts, they are allowed on any street with a speed limit under 30 miles per hour, and the city’s worked hard to provide plenty of streets and crossings for golf-carting residents— of which there are many heading downtown on any given weekend. On Fridays and Saturdays from November through May, the Dunedin Downtown Market in Pioneer Park becomes the hot spot for locals look-

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

67

 � �� �  ­� �� € ‚ Cherry Hills

New strains coming your way in 2020!

Visit highergradeco.com for our Daily Flower Menus, Specials and more!

Downtown Recreational 1269 Elati St, Denver, CO 80204 OPEN 8am-9:45pm M-Sun (303) 993-4547 Highlands Medical 3111 W 38th Ave, Denver, CO 80211 OPEN 9:00am - 9:00pm M-Sat 11:00am - 5:00pm Sunday (303) 955-0186 *NEW LOCATION*

Cherry Hills Medical 3480 S Galena St, Denver, CO 80231 OPEN 9:00am-9:00pm M-Sat 11:00am-5:00pm Sunday (720) 350-4071

68 D EN V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

GET HIGHER

www.highergradeco.com

THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph has been an intuitive since 2002. She is an author, columnist, and host of Psychic View Radio. She created dicewisdom.com, which also has a smartphone app. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

FEBRUARY HOROSCOPE

What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

AQUARIUS, THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT EXPLORING YOUR OWN POTENTIAL WITHOUT THE BURDEN OF HELPING OTHERS. JAN. 20–FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

Sometimes you do know what’s best for the people you love, but this month is all about celebrating what people can do without your assistance. Explore your own potential without the burden of helping others.

rent situation, your legacy may be better served by considering what the universe is offering.

MARCH 21–APRIL 19

ARIES

Concentrate on loving yourself this month. It’s not about proving yourself; it’s about filling yourself up and supportFEB. 19–MARCH 20 ing your unique energy.

February resonates with Don’t be surprised if a the signs of Aquarius new job or major proj(power of mind) and Piect presents itself to you. sces (power of intuitive).

As reluctant as you may These are the elements be to let go of your curto balance.

PISCES

APRIL 20–MAY 20

TAURUS

You will meet two amazing people. The man is a leader in his industry who has earned everything he has. The woman is unconditional love in action. Pay attention to the impression they leave with you.

MAY 21–JUNE 20

GEMINI

You may feel frustrated that some people are questioning your credibility. They may not be the people to align with in the future. However, if

of announcements and commitments to a new future. The unjust element of last year has finally fallen away, and as such, your mojo and energy are (again) being celebrated.

AUG. 23–SEPT. 22

VIRGO

Are you being stingy with your power? Have you done for people at the same level that they have done for you? Have you kept your promises? Are you telling the truth (not your version of it)? Balthese people have struck ance the scales: reciproca nerve, that may indicate ity is your gift this month. a skill to hone.

SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 JUNE 21–JULY 22

CANCER

LIBRA

Perhaps your dream is Ignore any past “stuff” this about to be fulfilled bemonth. Although you may cause you take an interest feel an innate obligation to in your art or hobby. The heal, it is not your respon- more interested you are sibility to do so. It’s time to in the people who have forget the past and move followed their dreams, the forward. Trust yourself more ideas and inspiraenough to enjoy this life. tion come to you.

JULY 23–AUG. 22

LEO

Claim your spotlight this month. This is the month

The grudge(s) you’re hanging onto could hinder the good energy coming toward you.

There may be a new career opportunity that presents itself by the end of May, though you may hear about it this month.

NOV. 22–DEC. 21

SAGITTARIUS

You’re discovering what love means. You’ve figured out the emotional and financial issues and gotten yourself back on track.

Your priorities are moving in the right direction, and you’ve accepted what you can and cannot do. Blessings on all of this!

DEC. 22–JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

There’s a mistaken belief that Capricorns are cold and unemotional. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are drawn to puppies and kittens and are incredibly loyal to long-time relationOCT. 23–NOV. 21 ships. You feel things to the core of your being; There are people who de- it’s time to let others see serve your forgiveness. a glimpse of that.

SCORPIO

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

69

USE CODE “SENSIFEBRUARY” FOR 25% OFF YOUR ORDER

www.StevesGoods.com

70 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

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

72 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

A

fter 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 Turnta-

ble that not only meets 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

“I’VE LIVED IN PLENTY OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES, AND I’VE NEVER SEEN AN ORGANICALLY GROWN COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.” —Mario Masitti

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

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

73

Cherry Picked Goodness Commercial Growers with a Boutique Feel.

Wholesale Handled.

Serving Medical and Recreational Flower, Trim, and Concentrates

www.yoursourceco.com

720.370.3590

info@yoursourceco.com

@cherry_colorado

HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY UNTIL 10AM

MEDICAL & RECREATIONAL 21+

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 8AM - 9:45PM 3450 BRIGHTON BLVD. DENVER, CO | 303.433.3151

74 D EN V ER / BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

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

S E N S IM AG.CO M

75

LEARN MORE

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

Coliving Code Show podcast host and coliving entrepreneur Christine McDannell and her roommates in San Diego.

“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

S E N S IM AG.CO M

77

disllate, bubble hash caviar cone

solventless bubble hash cone

www.dadirriextracts.com • find us on leaflink! • @dadirri_extracts

78 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

Clean, Conscious Cannabis

STRAIN SPECIFIC l TERPENE RICH

NO CHEMICALS. NO ADDITIVES ...NOT EVER.

Cartridges Syringes

Rechargeable EZ-Use

Capsules Salves Personal Oil

FIND US IN DURANGO!

1185 Camino Del Rio Durango, CO Established 2014 l Durango, CO

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

79

Jerry Dunn conquered his demons to become one of the most accomplished ultrarunners on the planet.

Along the way, he has realized the benefits of cannabis for endurance, pain relief, and maintenance.

TEXT TRACY ROSS

80 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

S

arasotan Jerry Dunn was running barefoot decades before barefoot running became a thing. In 1975, while working as a waiter in Key West, his girlfriend’s lifeguard brother would yell, “You should be a runner!” every time he saw the tall, lanky Dunn saunter onto Siesta Key Beach. Without missing a beat, the 29-year-old would shout back, “I didn’t run in

high school! I’m not an athlete! I tried running in Basic Training, and I hated it!” But one day, the lifeguard convinced the veteran to jog a half mile along the edge of the sea.

It felt so good that Dunn started running every day on the beach.

“I was barefoot the whole first two years of my running career,” he says.

When the Sarasota Herald Tribune held its first road 10K, Dunn bought himself his first pair of running

shoes and finished in 69 minutes.

He’s been running pretty much ever since, forging a lifestyle, career, mindset, and even a new line of CBD products around the sport. Dunn has completed hundreds of 26.2-milers, earning him the nickname “Marathon Man.” Running has strengthened his body and eased his brain, which he says “can get addicted to things,” and has become his way of connecting with the world.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

81

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JERRY DUNN

EARNING THE TITLE When Dunn started running, he was a functioning alcoholic who could get up, go to work, have a relationship, and train for races.

“I went on like that for the next six years, until I got the ‘How good could I be at running?’ bug,” he says. That thought, coupled with getting as drunk as he’d ever been on his 37th birthday, was a turning point. He quit shotgunning Budweisers and started piling on more miles. He’d already realized he had an aptitude for marathons, but now that drinking was no longer holding him back, he took a stab at ultramarathons (runs longer than 26.2 miles). He quickly discovered he excelled in them. In 1985, Dunn did his first multiday run, to benefit Habitat for Humanity. He ran 50 miles a day for three days straight across the state of South Dakota.

“Six years later, Habitat was turning 15, and I thought, ‘You’ve run across one state; why not run shore-to-shore in 104 days?’” he

IN 1998, HE WENT TO NEW YORK CITY AND RAN THE ORIGINAL MARATHON COURSE, THROUGH CENTRAL PARK, 28 TIMES IN THE 28 DAYS BEFORE THE CITY’S 29TH MARATHON (AND YES, HE RAN THAT ONE TOO).

says. He did, running from San Francisco to Washington, DC. Technically he didn’t run all the way to Atlantic surf, but “the shores of the Potomac are [in DC] so, so what?” he says.

Afterward, he read that the most marathons anyone had completed in one year was 89. “So I said, ‘Let me do 93 in ’93.” Halfway into his quest, he received an email from a runner who’d done 101 marathons in a year. “I was already in the habit of running two marathons a weekend,” Dunn says. So, he simply added a few more to his lineup, and he broke the record.

In early 1995, at age 50, Dunn realized the 100th running of the Boston Marathon was that year, so—what else?—he ran the marathon course 25 times in the days leading up to it, culminating with a 26th running on race day (a total of 681.2 miles.) In 1998, he went to New York City, got a room at the Westside YMCA, and ran the original NYC Marathon course, through Central Park, 28 times in the 28 days before the city’s 29th marathon (and yes, he ran that one too). Then, in F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

83

84 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

GET YOURS

Marathon Man Endurance Spray Preorder at marathonmancbd.com Products available by mid-February

2000, Dunn set off on his biggest, wildest challenge yet. On his way out of NYC two years prior, the ESPN2 host Keith Olbermann had asked him, “What next?”

“I’m not sure,” Dunn had said.

“But the turn of the century is coming up. I’ll probably figure out something outrageous that’s never been done before.”

He launched that effort—running 200 marathons in one calendar year—in 2000. He missed the mark, only completing 186.

For the next decade, he let people believe he’d done all 200—a lie of omission—but he finally set the record straight. “I’m an ethical person. I don’t deceive people,” he says. “To come clean was a refreshing feeling, and it got me back to being real and who I am.”

THE GREEN MILES Ever since Dunn put a cork in his drinking and all through the years of running—and, later, producing marathons and ultras—he’s tapped into the benefits of cannabis to enhance his body, brain, outlook, and spirit. “I’ve been using cannabis for 48 years, and I drank for 25 years. I’m throwing my history into the arena about the evils of alcohol compared to the not-so-evils of cannabis.

When I was drinking, alcohol consumed me and ruined one of my marriages. With weed, my good vibe is just enhanced and I’m more creative. Plus, everything from Advil to narcotic pain killers are known to be bad for the body, but cannabis does what those do and more and it’s not addictive.”

As for the two most well-known compounds in weed—THC and CBD—Dunn says, “Back in the

“A LITTLE THC PUTS ME IN A CREATIVE MOOD, AND CBD BASICALLY GIVES A BOOST TO [MY RUNNER’S HIGH].

IT’S A LITTLE SUPERCHARGER OF THOSE EFFECTS, INCLUDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL.” —Jerry Dunn

day, I smoked to get stoned. Now, a little THC puts me in a creative mood, and CBD basically gives a boost to [my runner’s high]. It’s a little supercharger of those effects, including the psychological and the physiological.”

Dunn, who spends his summers in the Denver area, is embarking on his next ultra-mileage adventure on 4-20-2020. He’ll road bike and run the 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway Trail, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida. His other motto is “Know Yourself,” and he’s adopting this challenge knowing that, at 74, his body might want to ride a bit more than run. His current plan is to ride 30 miles and run 10 per day.

If you want to join Dunn during his next big epic, you can follow him on americasmarathonman. com. Or just show up at one of the legs, toke (where it’s legal), and join in his runner’s high.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tracy Ross is the author of The Source of All Things: A Memoir. She lives and writes in Nederland, Colorado.

HOW TO GO THE DISTANCE Dunnʼs 4-20-2020 experience will be enhanced by a line of products he created called Marathon Man CBD. The Marathon Man endurance spray consists of an herbal blend of erythrina bark, bungleweed, frankincense, myrrh, and licorice root, plus cannabidiol, all distilled in sugarcane water. A salve and patch are also in development.

They provide preventive, acute onset, and recovery pain relief—before a workout, in the middle of one, or afterward. Theyʼre for anyone who wants to be more like Dunn—a man pushing the limits of longevity.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

85

e u r T

BLUE 88 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

E

UNITED BY BLUE is saving America’s waterways one shirt at a time.

TEXT JENNY WILLDEN

T

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED BY BLUE

he urban center of Philadelphia may seem an unlikely home base for a powerhouse outdoor brand, but you wouldn’t know it from the success of United

By Blue, an Philadelphia based clothier and coffee connoisseur.

For more than nine years, UBB’s been bringing sustainably built goods to the city while driving positive change in an industry hardly known as environmentally friendly.

United By Blue’s name comes from its founder’s belief that we are united by the blue of the world’s waterways and share the responsibility of protecting them.

And the company takes this responsibility seriously, committing to cleaning and protecting our planet with each and every sale.

Protecting Our Planet Disturbing statistic: every day, 38,356,164 pounds of trash are dumped into our oceans. For every item you buy, United By Blue is fighting this tide, putting sweat behind its pledge by committing to remove a pound of trash from oceans and waterways for every product sold. Believing ocean waste is one of the most pressing current environmental issues, UBB is focused on confronting ocean and river trash— and tackling it head on.

To date, the company has removed 2.1 million pounds of trash

from rivers and streams across the country. And UBB doesn’t farm out this task, instead hosting cleanups where team members and locals roll up their sleeves to pick up trash in rivers, oceans, and streams. It organized its first community cleanup the same week it sold its first T-shirt, and the brand has since taken the show on the road with cleanups around the United States.

These cleanup tours travel across America, stopping in cities such as Boulder and San Francisco as well as hometown river cleanings in Philadelphia. When it came through Denver last year, the crew removed 1,607 pounds of trash.

Local cleanups give you a chance to give back to your Philly community. Inspired to clean a nearby waterway? Buy UBB’s $5 DIY cleanup kit, which includes gloves, garbage bags, and a guide to making a difference on your own.

Shopping Sustainably United By Blue is a certified B-corp and innovator of perennial favorites; all its apparel and accessories are responsibly sourced and sustainably constructed with materials such as organic cotton, recycled polyester, and American bison fiber.

Its products are now found at 1,000 retail locations, online at unitedbyblue.com, and at its new(ish) Philadelphia flagship retail store, which blends outF EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

89

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

Sativa

Hybrid

Indica

Premium Live Resin HTE with true-to-flower flavor. #everydaysimple feather.com

United By Blue volunteers clean-area waterways.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNITED BY BLUE

door clothing, gear, and accessory sales with a café featuring fresh food, fair trade coffee, and seating for 50.

The UBB flagship shop carries everything from cozy socks and jackets insulated with discarded bison fur to responsibly sourced, sustainably built flannel shirt— and know your dollars also help keep the Schuylkill River clean.

Located on bustling Race Street, the flagship is (unsurprisingly) sustainably constructed and is one of Philadelphia’s first LEED-certified retail stores. Built with salvaged wood from an old Maryland barn and chalkboards from Philadelphia schools, every bit of the store tells a story. The shop also hosts social First Friday events and sells footwear and gear from numerous outdoor brands. A smaller, coffee-oriented location is located on Walnut Street in University City. The brand also hosts pop-up shops in other US cities.

Building Truly Responsible Gear Despite being a brand that makes its money selling apparel and gear, United By Blue wants you to buy less. Its clothing is designed with timeless styles that are built to last, and it strives to make you a conscious consumer by offering reusable coffee cups, cutlery sets,

2.1

To date, United

By Blue has removed

million pounds of trash from rivers and streams across the country.

and to-go meal kits to reduce the amount of trash you create.

And while using recycled fibers in apparel production is nothing new, UBB is ushering in a new era of sustainability by putting typically discarded fibers to work. American bison fiber is a rarely used by-product of the ranching industry, but UBB spent six years building a supply chain for the fiber—sparing it from the landfill and harnessing it as a natural insulation the company calls BisonShield.

UBB founder Brian Linton says embracing bison for a cold-weather insulation was a natural choice: “Bison don’t migrate south for the winter.” Like wool, bison fiber is cool in the summer and warm in the winter—thanks to its temperature-regulating powers—and it can keep humans warm down to 0°F. The cleaned bison fiber is blended with wool into BisonShield, a fill that rivals competing duck down and synthetic insulations. Try it in the new Bison Ultralight Jacket, a down alternative that’s hypoallergenic, naturally lightweight, and after much refinement, packable.

Beyond bison, UBB is greening other popular gear categories like backpacks and flannels. Its Responsible Flannel is constructed from organic, chemical-free F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

91

Where else would you want to get your flower from?

WWW.POTZERO.CO ZERO CARBON FOOTPRINT - ZERO CHEMICALS

92 DE N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

cotton with biodegradable Corozu buttons made from nuts and nontoxic dyes. Bonus: It’s softer than other flannels and softens more with every wash.

UBB also repurposes single-use plastic into bags, backpacks, and pet accessories with its (R)evolution Collection. From convertible totes to weekenders to toiletry-stashing Dopp kits, each bag is water-and stain-resistant with vegetable-tanned leather, and all are guaranteed for life. If a strap tears or the bag breaks, send it back, and UBB will repair the damage.

Last fall, United

By Blue came through Denver and Boulder, removing more than

Big on Benefits United By Blue’s management team is also headquartered in Old City, with its offices located just down the road from its flagship shop in its original coffeehouse location.

3

thousand pounds of trash from our waterways.

As a company, UBB’s guiding principles go beyond gear and trickle down to employees too. UBB believes in promoting greatness in employees and helping them thrive, not promoting outdated corporate structure.

With a laid-back dress code and dog-friendly offices, UBB promotes productivity, not strict rules. Vacation is unlimited (yes, you heard that right), and every employee (full-time or hourly) receives product discounts, full medical coverage, paid family leave, and a 401K savings plan— all perks designed to keep employees healthy and happy.

United By Blue has quickly made a name for itself in the outdoor gear world, building the company with the belief that successful brands can do serious conservation work.

United By Blue's flagship store and coffeehouse ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNITED BY BLUE

Jenny Willden is the managing editor for the Philadelphia edition of Sensi.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

93

94 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

E ROK !

B KE GO MO e!

NT S DO TO tor ING ng in s les) Y R T r sa y bo the

50% O ENTIRFF STOR E E!

an mo $99 uded fro l (exc

AND BUBBLERS 75% OFF ALL GLASS BONGS, RIGS, PIPES, W Tony Dabtana TKO

(incl mod, Atomizer, Battery & Dab tool)

$85 Honeystraw 1.0/2.0

$30/35 Digital Enail Setup (inclusive nail, tool, drop down, dab mat, digital enail)

ZY !

A C R EA L D

$150

Tony Dabtana 2 in 1 Pro

(Any Size)

Digital Enail0

with purchase of any Bong or Rig!

2 for

$80

$30 The Money Bag Rig Setup

Encalmo Bong Ashcatch And Phatsac Bong Bag

$70

$89 (great buy!)

(includes everything!)

Silicone Dab Setup

Predator Gas Mask

$65

$45

$30 $55 $70

/thebombheadshop

$60 Wig Wag Bowl

$15 WAX Globe Pen

2 for

$20 Gas Mask Bong

Heady Supply Pelican Case

3431 S Federal Blvd, E Eaglewood (720)787-9938 4815 E Colfax Ave Denver (720)328-8006 5042 Federal Blvd. Denver (720)379-6393 Now Open!!! 5210 Broadway Denver (720)639-4268 2644 E Platte Ave CO Springs (719)473-1203 424 W Fillmore St CO Springs (719)473-5747 4343 S Buckley Rd, #C Aurora (303)284-2518 Now Open!!! 410 N Sante Fe Ave. Pueblo (719)281-3502 *Sales items excluded from additional sales www.thebombheadshop.com

@bombheadshop

G-9 Vape

$15

$40 Honeystraw Micro

OW !

Phat Sac Bong Bags

$25 Dab Straw Setup

$25

FIREWORKS GLASS RIGS!!

$50-90 Bamboo Rolling Tray (MUST HAVE!)

$25 Professional Cooking Torches

$25-$20 Honeystraw 2.0 Mini

2 for

$40 Dab Rig Setup

$50

Come check out Denvers DOPEST GLASS!

96 D E N V ER / BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

REBEL, RENEGADE, REVOLUTIONARY ROB VAN DAM emerges as a visionary in cannabis, wrestling, and life.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE EUGENIA

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

I

n 2006, professional wrestler Rob Van Dam had just achieved the pinnacle of success. He became the champion of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and

Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), experiencing one of the most significant peaks of his career. He was riding high in more ways than one.

Van Dam’s meteoric

rise soon came to a thundering crash.

Later that year, while touring on the WWE and ECW wrestling circuits, Van Dam and his wrestling partner Sabu were pulled

over by the police in Ohio for speeding. Van Dam never hid his love of cannabis and kept it out in the open. That night, like many nights in the past, the car reeked of cannabis.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

97

R ECR E ATI ONAL 21 +

|

OPEN 8 :0 0 A M –10 :0 0 P M EV ERY DAY

1350 S. SHERIDAN BLVD. DENVER, CO 80232

| mhdbUDS.com

|

M EDICA L 1 8+

| 303.934.6337

PHOTOS BY (TOP) DANIELLE EUGENIA, (BOTTOM) LANCE MAXWELL

“Back then, I was never careful, and I never thought about hiding my use of cannabis. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong,” he says.

They were arrested for possession of cannabis, and Sabu urged Van Dam to inform the management of WWE about the arrest.

“I told him he was crazy,” Van Dam says. “I got busted so many times before.

Nobody ever found out, and I could still wrestle.”

This time was different, and it totally changed the course of Van Dam’s life.

By the time the two wrestlers arrived at the arena for the evening’s matches, having posted bail, the management and fans knew about the arrest. The media had reported the event, and Vince McMa-

hon, the owner of WWE, was so furious he walked by the two wrestlers without speaking to them. “I knew that was not good, but we were prepared to wrestle,” says Van Dam. Later that night, McMahon calmly informed Van Dam that he would be suspended for 30 days, urging him to get some rest. Van Dam would have to drop the WWE championship that evening in Philadelphia. He would still have to wrestle, knowing in advance that he’d have to concede the match.

“That was so heartbreaking. I let my fans

and my wife down. I just felt that responsibility even though the marriage was faltering at the time,” he explains. “When I got beat, everyone just started booing and throwing their drinks into the ring.

I was getting pelted, and I was devastated.”

The next night, Van Dam had to drop the ECW championship as well.

This life-altering episode, while distressing, actually brought Van Dam’s life to a better place.

He found himself with renewed passion while becoming healthier and exploring new avenues.

Eventually he got his wrestling career back on track.

Comic Books and Pumping Iron

Van Dam was born and raised in Battle Creek,

Michigan, where he discovered his first love: comic books. He was a fanatic; he had to acquire every comic book with his favorite characters.

“They really captivated my mind,” says Van Dam. When he discovered wrestling in high school, he followed it with the same zeal as one of his comic book characters.

Fate intervened when, at the age of 15, he attended his first wrestling show by the World Wrestling Federation in Battle Creek’s Kellogg Center. A friend of the family and a wrestling insider who Van Dam knew as “Miss T” got him backstage access to greet the wrestlers as they exited the dressing rooms. He was so enthusiastic that Miss T encouraged him to begin lifting weights and to consider a career in professional wrestling.

In high school, coaches had encouraged Van Dam to be lean and mean. But he wanted to bulk up like the professional wrestlers he followed, and he switched to martial arts to gain flexibility and mobility.

He researched wrestling schools, and in December 1989, at the age of 18, Van Dam began to attend training sessions given by The Sheik, a top wrestler and box office attraction in the ’50s and ’60s. Van F EBRUARY 2020

“I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HIDING MY USE OF CANNABIS. I DIDN’T THINK I WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG.” –Rob Van Dam

S E N S IM AG.CO M

99

@shift.cannabis

100 D EN V ER /BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

#shiftisforsharing

PHOTOS BY (LEFT) LANCE MAXWELL, (RIGHT) DANIELLE EUGENIA

Dam was bagging groceries to make money for school and was thrilled he could train with The Sheik and still remain in Michigan.

While Van Dam was considered smaller than most wrestlers, he demonstrated his desire, endurance, and ability. His parents were supportive, and Van Dam promised them that if wrestling didn’t work out in two years, he would change careers and attend college.

Talent and determination won him matches with wins in smaller venues. Van Dam understood marketing and would work out in the ring to gain fans. His popularity grew as he toured on the road as a wrestler.

“There was never a guarantee I would be successful, but at the time, I was having a lot of fun,” he says. “Still, there were many times I doubted myself even though others in the field would tell me I was impressive and had some great moves with my martial arts training.”

Finding Focus

The first pivotal shift in his life occurred during an event in Jamaica when Van Dam was 21. The match hadn’t gone well, and after-

ward, a group of wrestlers blasted him, telling him that he would never make it.

It was brutal for him; Van Dam sat on top of a truck by himself and sobbed. He tried to find inner peace with meditation but ripped himself apart instead.

Ironically, to fit in with the same group of wrestlers, Van Dam took his first hit of cannabis at age 21. He had been raised in an era of the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) programs, which emphasized that cannabis was a hallucinogen and gateway drug of addiction and despair. He really didn’t like it at first but soon discovered it helped with his anxiety, eased his physical discomfort, and increased his mental clarity. He also discovered that other athletes smoked it. Van Dam soon became a devotee of cannabis and never hid it from anybody, including bosses, fans, and the media.

He would give interviews about the benefits of cannabis and refused to back down from expressing himself. A T-shirt was created with his famous catchphrase, “RVD 420 means I just smoked your ass.”

Others warned him that his openness with cannabis would get him into trouble and ruin his career. “People need to know the truth. It is not a dangerous drug, and it can help in so many ways,” says Van Dam. “There was so much misinformation.”

Along the way, Van Dam became more determined than ever to become the best wrestler he could. He continued to travel up to 300 days a year, including overseas. His world changed in 1998 when he became a wrestling superstar with the ECW and developed a devoted fan base.

Van Dam helped to change the face of wrestling when WWE bought the rights to ECW. He suggested that McMahon develop a pay-per-view called One Night Stand featuring a more interactive wrestling event in the style of ECW, complete with the throwing of chairs.

As Van Dam’s career accelerated, it became more of a business than a fun way to live life. His marriage suffered, he broke his ankle (his first injury), and he experienced scrutiny and suffered fines with his open use of cannabis.

In 2005, he needed knee surgery and was in rehab most of that year. Van Dam soon realized he was on a treadmill and didn’t know how to stop. He wanted to take more time off but instead went back into the ring, reaching an unbelievable peak of success before the arrest in 2006.

After the Fall

Once Van Dam moved past the devastation of the arrest, he discovered a life he could love living while advocating for cannabis and other issues. He continued to wrestle overseas, hosted a radio show, acted, entertained, and spoke on panels.

While he did get divorced after 20 years, he would find love again. Van Dam was invited back to wrestle for the WWE, which named him the greatest star in ECW history in 2014.

Today, he sets his own schedule and does what he wants to do without the pressure to perform.

Van Dam is happier than ever with his soul mate Katie Forbes in what he calls, “his best relationship ever.” He enjoys his life in Las Vegas, including helping others discover the benefits of CBD and cannabis. He has attempted to retire from wrestling, but he keeps getting pulled back into the ring. Van Dam admits he still loves it.

THE WRESTLER’S CBD With the excessive number of injuries, especially concussions, suffered by wrestlers, suicide and overdoses are the top two reasons wrestlers die young. Rob Van Dam has developed a line of CBD products called RVD CBD, designed to help people who suffer from pain, anxiety, and other medical issues. With his line of CBD, he hopes to reach out specifically to the wrestling community to offer needed relief—and maybe even change the very fabric of wrestling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie Hall is the managing editor for the Las Vegas edition of Sensi.

rvdcbd.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

101

Cartridge Ingredients: Cannabis Distillate, Original Terpenes.

Facebook: The Pat Pen

Check out our full product line at w w w.patpenproducts.com

102 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

Instagram: ThePatPen

Twitter: @thepatpen

For wholesale inquiries, contact sales@patpenproducts.com

19005 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora, CO 80015

(720) 999-8919

www.GreenHeartDispensary.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

103

104 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

Food in the Future

In two decades, your future meals will be flavored with trendy contradictions.

TEXT JOHN LEHNDORFF

As Sunday morning, January 1, 2040, dawns, Coloradans will wake up to a breakfast of lab-cultured sausage, mung bean–based eggs, and tiger-nut-flour banana bread—all prepared by robots who talk like Alexa’s much smarter granddaughter. There is no kale in sight, and almond milk was banned long ago for being an environmental threat.

The first month of the year is still filled with new diets, new calendars, new dire warnings, and the traditional predictions from culinary prognosticators.

I’ve been the guy pre-

dicting the next big food thing in newspapers and magazines since the early 1980s. See how official I just sounded?

Admittedly, I’m a food data geek who soaks up stats from the market research firm NPD Group, Whole Foods, food industry insight source Technomic, Forbes, the National Restaurant Association, and similar sources. Tell me what you’ll eat, and I’ll tell you who you’ll be.

Looking forward 20 years in nutrition, there are dining, grocery shopping, and farming trends that I think will be going strong.

Shop till You Stop and Use AI The retail store demise that has sunk Macy’s and other merchandisers will eventually close many of the neighborhood markets we now frequent. They will focus on pickup and delivery with limited hours for old-timers who like to wander the aisles. “Locally grown” will mean greens, herbs, and other fresh foods grown in vertical and hydroponic mini-farms at the store.

Meanwhile, grocery checkout lines will be an anachronism (along with debit cards) as technologies including face recog-

nition deliver automatic payments. Look for more cluster locales that combine a hybrid of fast-casual eatery, grocery store, and upscale convenience store with gas pumps and electric vehicle charging.

Morality becomes the third pillar of food choice along with taste and nutrition. Apps (such as the current GreenChoice) will serve as a Trivago for shopping with a conscience and guarantee the food we buy meets our values concerning food safety, nutrition, and environmental impact.

AI-powered robots will be an intimate part of dining, shopping, and F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

105

EXPERIENCE TRUE PURITY

POTENT D LINE DISTILLATE

LIFETIME WARRANTY

Introducing the RUBI, a refillable pod based vape system paired with premium D-line distillate. Featuring an OCELL ceramic coil and Dual Airflow

CERAMIC COIL WITH JAPANESE COTTON

technology to allow for a flavorful and unrestricted vaping experience that is unparalleled. Portable and discrete, the RUBI is a hidden gem that fits into every lifestyle.

www.rubipen.com

THE SCENE

farming. China’s PuduTech is already selling a robotic food delivery cat.

In Spain, an electronic tongue has been tested for beer tasting. Whole Foods Market is working on a robotic barista.

When Waste Finally Makes Tastes Many nascent movements in 2020 will be accepted practice by necessity in 2040 because of ongoing environmental degradation and population pressure. Efforts to assure food security to everyone, practice sustainable and regenerative agriculture, grow urban gardens, rescue edible food, create compost, and eliminate food waste come together to change the way we will approach cooking and dining.

Reusable containers will be the norm, and foam takeout food containers will be antiques along with plastic shopping bags. Eateries will only use 100 percent recyclable and compostable packaging as well as edible plates and cups made from rice, seaweed, and potatoes.

Kids will get edible flavored pasta (bucatini) drinking straws.

Who Will Grow the Steak for Your Philly?

Plant-based burgers are all the rage now, with

plant-based chicken, pork, scallops. Eggplant-based eel for sushi is coming soon. By 2040, plant-based will be part of a roster of crafted and lab-grown foods, including cell-grown proteins and farm-free foods made by “ferming,”which is brewing unicellular microbes to create various flavors and textures.

Let’s Eat Like It’s 1799 As the 2040s begin, chefs and farmers will have looked past monoculture crops to old plant varieties that have survived and adjusted to changing environmental conditions. In Colorado, this includes the growing of ancient grains (many gluten free) and diverse dry beans—including Anasazi beans— to be used in plantbased foods. The state’s vibrant heirloom apple (and cider) movement will continue finding and propagating lost apple varieties through organizations such as the Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project, Apple Core Project of Western Colorado, and the Boulder Apple Tree Project.

Most Americans will still identify as meat eaters in 2040 even as they become increasingly flexitarian. To

Diners already want to eat their restaurant meals anywhere but the actual eatery.

In 2040, technology will increase our tendency and ability to eat alone.

minimize the impact, the whole chicken, pig, cow, and lamb we still kill for meat must be utilized. The pendulum will swing back to noseto-tail cookery, meaning home and restaurant dishes will feature pig’s feet, tripe, lamb necks, bone marrow, oxtail, cheek meat, liver, and bones. If you’re one of those people willing to try new cuts and species of meat used in global cuisines, the beef industry has a name for you: Protein Progressive. And it doesn’t assume your political affiliation.

Shall We Dine Together or Virtually?

I’m hoping diners in 20 years embrace communal dining, Sunday dinner, and home cooking and baking…but I’m doubtful.

Technology will increase our tendency to live in isolated silos and not F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

107

108 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE SCENE

interact. Diners already want to eat their restaurant meals anywhere but the actual eatery, using drive-thru, delivery, and takeout. Look for device-free meals, feasts eaten in darkness, and tantric dinners in the nude to create socialization without resorting to virtual reality.

And yes, Virginia, there will be eateries open in 2040 where you can consume cannabis publicly and eat a nice dinner even in Kansas.

Our ability to find a dish or eatery everyone can agree on will only get worse in 20 years.

You can’t host a dinner party with friends when everyone is on personalized gluten-free, paleo, keto, and Whole30 diets.

According to Accenture, more than half of US millennials are on a specific diet driven by ethics and environmental and health concerns. Add in Baby Boomers trying to boost their longevity, and you end up with something like the 3-D printed “sushi” being researched

by Open Foods company.

It adapts to each diner after careful analysis of their saliva, urine, and stool samples.

ier bok choy varieties and Chinese broccoli. Once ubiquitous cauliflower will fade from the menu from sheer boredom (although cauliflower gnocchi will still be popular).

Our citrus fruit tent will expand beyond those sugary Cuties and mandarins to embrace the nuanced tastes of yuzu, calamansi, and the aptly named Ugli fruit. Blood oranges will be marketed as “raspberry oranges,” but still taste like grape Kool-Aid. In the virtual deli, cheddar and feta will be so 2030, replaced by artisanal Mexican cheeses including añejo (Parmesan-like), queso fresco (feta-esque), and queso de Oaxaca (string cheese).

trend research supports the view that diversity and immigration only lead to more and tastier foods on our dinner tables. Have you tried ajvar (Balkan red pepper sauce), urfa biber (tasty Turkish dried chile), and amba (spicy mango pickle) yet?

State University. Nearly 40 percent are under 40 years old. Only 15 percent are 40 and older.

Locally grazed cricket flour for keto muffins and such is available from Rocky Mountain Micro Ranch.

Hop to It Twenty-five percent of Americans are willing to try foods made with cricket powder, according to Michigan

Pass the Urfa Biber I’m looking forward to that New Year’s Day breakfast in 2040. The United States will have a far more diverse population than it has now. My

They Ate CauliflowerCrust Pizza?

By 2040, kale will have long since wilted into obscurity—replaced by tastF EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

109

h

is

w

c

en

all wom g n i all o love cannab

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

110 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EBRUARY 2020

THE SCENE L O C A L C O C K TA I L

Do the Worm

Let this whiskey-and-rye cocktail take you for a ride.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE RECIPE BEATRICE & WOODSLEY

Wash Park’s Beatrice & Woodsley regularly tops Denver’s “most romantic” lists. It will be the place to be on Valentine’s Day, as bartenders mix up this warming cocktail—a restaurant favorite— to get the night started. If you didn’t manage to score reservations this year, you can mix one up for your sweetheart at home.

Worm’s Wild Ride Makes 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS

¾ ounce lemon juice ¾ ounce cinnamon simple syrup ½ ounce Leopold’s Apple Whiskey 1 ounce Old Overholt Rye Lemon wheel for garnish

INST RUCT IONS

• In a shaker or mixing glass, combine all ingredients with ice and shake.

• Strain into an ice-filled double oldfashioned glass.

• Garnish with lemon wheel and serve.

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

111

Stylist + Makeup Artist @hairbycelia Celia@TheParlour.net 303.444.3747 TheParlour.net

THE SCENE D AT E D E S T I N AT I O N S

El Five

Loving Spoonfuls These 33 dreamy restaurants and lounges will make for a steamy Valentine’s Day. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

Annette

annettescratchtotable.com

Chef Caroline Glover calls her fare “scratchto-table.” The aroma of meat and vegetables on a wood-burning grill makes this atmospheric restaurant inside Auroraʼs Stanley Marketplace one cozy place to spend a winter night.

We know how stressful V-Day reservations can be. Whether you’re kindling or rekindling romance, a lot gets loaded into where you and your sweetheart spend this particular evening. You need reservations. We’ve got you covered, with 33 of the most romantic spots in Denver and Boulder to woo your favorite someone.

Find one and make a reservation. You do not want to get caught on a Friday Valentine’s Day without them (we may know this from experience).

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

113

They say love is pain...

We happen to disagree.

www.letsescape.com 114 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE SCENE D AT E D E S T I N AT I O N S

Balistreri Vineyards

Beatrice & Woodsley

For wine lovers, sharing a tasting of sulfite-free handcrafted wines and seasonally inspired small plates at this idyllic North Denver winery is the ultimate. A special six-course dinner on Valentineʼs weekend is beyond.

At this Wash Park restaurant, youʼll feel like youʼre stepping into an antique cabin, with hand-hewn materials and a small glowing aspen grove. And itʼs doing a special Valentineʼs Day thing.

Bamboo Sushi

bistrovendome.com

balistrerivineyards.com

of RiNo is chill, perfect for family wineries at this bamboosushi.com cocktails and small plates. rustic yet elegant Cherry This sleek LoHi favorite Valentineʼs Day is “love the Creek North eatery. brought sustainable sushi one youʼre with” night, with to Denver, and it serves a specialty cocktails and Beast + Bottle beastandbottle.com delicious Wagyu burger. A champagne specials. sweet spot for two.

This intimate Uptown spot Barolo Grill specializes in lamb dishes barologrilldenver.com Bar Helix (the menuʼs categorized insidethehelix.com Youʼll find Northern Italian by “lamb” and “not lamb”) The vibe at this modern cuisine and a thoughtful made with “relentlessly bar and lounge in the heart wine list supporting small local” ingredients.

beatriceandwoodsley.com

Bistro Vendome This charming French bistro in Larimer Squareʼs Sussex building is the place to go for classic French fare and champagne cocktails.

Bittersweet

bittersweetdenver.com

The seasonally driven menu at this playful,

Beatrice & Woodsley

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

115

Weeneverrstoppgrowing Weeofferraavarietyyoffproductssandd servicessincludinggseeds,,clonessandd startssssAlsootheeland,,theeknowwhoww and/orrconsultinggggWeecanngroww producttonnourrlanddorrprovideeittforr yourssssWeeoverrsee,,growwandd manageecroppviaacontractorrlanddass welllassourrownn we Weehaveeseveralldifferenttfarmss locateddalllarounddtheeSannLuissValleyy anddareeaa3655growwincludinggbothh outsideeacreageeanddindoorrgroww footagee

(719))589-221555|||HempSteadFarmsLLC@gmaillcom

116 D EN V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE SCENE D AT E D E S T I N AT I O N S

Mizuna

intimate restaurant on the edge of Wash Park is simple and focused on quality local ingredients.

meant to be shared, and itʼs breaking policy to take reservations for Valentineʼs Day.

and small bites. Go all out and spend the night at the Crawford Hotel. Why not?

Black Cat

The Cooper Lounge

copertadenver.com

This sleek bistro in downtown Boulder serves innovative meals made from produce grown on the chef and ownerʼs nearby organic farm.

Perched above Union Stationʼs Great Hall with exquisite downtown views, this glamorous retreat offers high-end cocktails

blackcatboulder.com

Brasserie Ten brasserietenten.com

A downtown Boulder staple, this vibrant café serves homestyle French fare and fresh oysters.

Cho77 cho77.com

This funky restaurant in LoDo serves Southeast Asian–inspired small plates and bottles of sake

cooperlounge.com

Coperta

This cozy Uptown eatery (the name means “blanket” in Italian) is where youʼll find comfortable Southern Italian classics, perfect in February.

Corridor 44 coridor44.com

Opulent is the word for this Larimer Square champagne bar, which offers the bubbly (of course) as well as inventive cocktails, caviar service, and a full dinner menu.

The Crimson Room thecrimsonroom.com

For a champagne-andchocolate-truffles kind of Valentineʼs Day, accompanied by live piano, guitar, or jazz, thereʼs simply nowhere else. (Grab a selfie in the throne chairs.)

The Cruise Room

theoxfordhotel.com/eat-drink/the-cruise-room

Considered one of Denverʼs most Instagrammable spots, the historic Art Deco bar at the Oxford Hotel in LoDo is great for F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

117

THE SCENE D AT E D E S T I N AT I O N S

classic cocktails and small as the “bitchen.” plates.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House delfriscos.com

This lush Greenwood Village is a steakhouse classic, featuring steaks, chops, and seafood; an extensive wine list; and cigar service.

El Five

elfivedenver.com

Perched high above LoHi, with spectacular city views, this is the spot for tapas and curated Spanish wines.

The Family Jones Spirit House

thefamilyjones.co/thespirithouse

This LoHi space with soaring windows and a sunken bar serves cocktails and custom plates from a bar and kitchen hybrid known

Flagstaff House flagstaffhouse.com

This Boulder icon up Flagstaff Canyon, with fine food, stellar service, and amazing views, has been the place to impress your date for more than half a century.

Fruition

fruitionrestaurant.com

With only 50 seats, this restaurant serves creative cuisine in an unpretentious setting, and the carefully chosen fresh, local ingredients really shine.

Mall, thereʼs music and burlesque, appetizers and desserts.

Lannie’s Clocktower License No. 1 boulderado.com/dining/license-no-1 Cabaret clocktowercabaret.com

At this Parisian nightclub in the basement of the historic Daniels & Fisher Tower on the 16th Street

Sip craft cocktails and listen to live music at this sprawling hideaway in the basement of Boulderʼs Hotel Boulder-

ado, a secret rendezvous spot with plenty of hidden nooks and crannies ever since it scored the cityʼs first liquor license in 1969.

Mizuna

mizunadenver.com

This Capitol Hill standby has a soft, elegant ambience and changes the menu monthly, giving chefs free reign to experiment.

Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club nocturnejazz.com

You can sip a glass of wine or a cocktail while you share plates at this RiNo jazz lounge, but the five-course tasting menus inspired by historic and iconic music albums are the most fun.

Fruition

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

119

THE SCENE D AT E D E S T I N AT I O N S

Nocture Jazz & Supper Club

Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox opheliasdenver.com

The veggie-friendly smallplates menu is a bonus at this upscale LoDo gastropub, but the brothel vibe (because it once was one) makes it ideal for a vintage soft-core Valentineʼs.

Peaks Lounge bit.ly/2O96Zqk

How can a spot overlooking Denver from the 27th floor not be romantic? This bar atop the Hyatt Regency has a good selection of cocktails made from Colorado-crafted spirits to sip with small plates and desserts (sʼmores fondue for two would be the Valentineʼs Day choice).

Piatti

denver.piatti.com

the place to be on a cold February night.

This Cherry Creek North classic, with its soft yellow Ultreia ultreiadenver.com ambience and rustic Italian comfort food, feels In the heart of Union Stalike putting on a favorite tion, this 50-seat “gastrotecashmere sweater. ka” does it Spanish style, with Iberian-inspired tapas Sushi Sasa and creative gin-tonics. sushisasa.com

Vesta

vestadenver.com

At this warm, inviting LoDo spot, itʼs all about the sauce. You can share plates of fire-grilled meats and vegetables to dip in those divine sauces and a bottle of wine from an award-winning list.

Small but mighty, this quiet restaurant in Highland Park serves some of Denverʼs best Japanese fare.

Tavernetta

tavernettadenver.com

From the team behind Boulderʼs legendary Frasca Food and Wine, this Union Station restaurant offers Italian cuisine and an impressive wine list.

The fireplace lounge is F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

121

THE LIFE LOV E O N L I N E

Love Is in the App The strange and raucously entertaining world of online dating.

TEXT SUSAN WINSTON, MFT

Rarely do you find that special someone through a party or a chance meeting in a bar or grocery store.

Nowadays, we’ve streamlined dating to preprocess and check off all our wants and needs to ensure we find the mate who really fits

the bill—or who can at least foot the bill at the end of dinner. This has led to some bizarre, niche dating sites.

For example, the website purrsonals.com is where you can “meet others in the world who understand the unique ‘purrsonality’ that cats

possess and why we share the love of cats.”

So yeah, there’s that.

Sure, this month may be when love is thrust upon us with the brute force of consumerism, but that may make you feel more self-assured when you realize how many options you have.

The Food Sets the Mood Refrigerdating.com is “a service that helps you find love based on the contents of your fridge.”

Based on the items you have, Refrigerdating will “hook you up with a variation of fridges of different tastes.” That’s one way to avoid sending embarrassF EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

123

124 D EN V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

THE LIFE LOV E O N L I N E

ing “sexy” pics—unless organized food containers do it for you.

Hotsaucepassions.com poses the question: “Why risk hearing ‘I don’t like spicy food’ on a first date when you know that would be a deal breaker?”

Glutenfreesingles.com describes itself as “a welcoming place where people can find gluten-free dating partners, friends, and activity groups.” If you don’t meet your true anti-glute on this site, at least you’ll find some great recipes.

Singleswithfoodallergies. com offers folks prone to breaking out in hives on a restaurant date a chance to avoid the ER. As the site’s founder explains, “I wondered how I’d find a guy who would be comfortable in my dairy-free, shellfish-free, and nutfree household…. I knew similar men and women were searching, too.”

My420mate.com is a dating site and app for the cannabis advocate who doesn’t want to be shamed for partaking. Meet your cannabis-friendly single here.

Or be too stoned to care who you meet.

Someone for Everyone Feeld.co is for “Polysexual, Pansexual, Bisexual + 20 more” alternative sexual preferences. A prize will be given to whoever

can name the other 20.

Furrymates.com is for those who pretend to be anthropomorphic animals.

If you are particularly hirsute, you might qualify.

Zombiepassions.com is a website “for zombies, zombie lovers, and people who have been working in a dead-end job for too long.” So what if their cover page shows a face dripping in blood?

If zombies don’t turn you on, maybe vampires will. Vampirepassions.com lets you “find members based on whether they are into sanguine vampirism or psychic vampirism. Meet other vampires, vampire lovers, and even amateur vampire hunters.”

For the macabre-curious, consider Dead Meet Dating (thechickandthedead.com/dead-meet-dating), intended for those who work in the death industry—grave diggers, morticians, funeral directors, and autopsy experts.

Diapermates.com is for— you guessed it—adults who wear diapers, not out of need but out of desire.

People who have a thing for clowns have the privilege of choosing from two dating sites: clowndating.com and clownpassions. com. If you’re into it, now you can just don a red nose and goofy outfit and call it a night.

Seacaptaindate.com claims to be the number

Sure, this month may be when love is thrust upon us with the brute force of consumerism, but that may make you feel more selfassured when you realize how many options you have.

twins. So, if you don’t like your partner, switch.

Farmersonly.com, not to be confused with farmertakesawife.com, has the tagline, “Single in the country?” and yes that does sound a little serial-killer-esque.

Marrymealready.com Ready to live your real-life Bachelor or Bachelorette experience? This site is made for “those looking for serious love.”

Womenbehindbars.com is dedicated to love for those ladies who are incarcerated. It’s a real thing.

So, there you have it.

From cats to clowns to cannabis, there’s love to be found for everyone under the sun. At this point, it couldn’t be any worse than Tinder.

one dating site for masters and commanders.

Climb aboard? Man the helm? This is for a finite group of Captain Stubing types.

Stachepassions.com, much like Magnum P.I., is all about the moustache. If you love women who sport the hairy lip—that’s another site.

In a similar vein, the site mulletpassions.com exists. You thought mullets went out of style? Not according to this group.

Amishcrush.com is a site for the Amish. But how do they use it?

Twinsrealm.com is where twins meet other F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

125

THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

On the Calendar There’s more to February than date nights and boxes of chocolates.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

When the winter gets long, Denverites drink good beer. On the calendar this month, you’ll find no shortage of beer festivals— some with music and one with grilled cheese. (There’s also a tequila festival.)

If alcohol isn’t your solution to February, there’s plenty here for you too. Check out some great films, plan your next vacation, or get inspired to start a garden. End the month with a date for a date for Restaurant Week, which starts Feb. 21.

HeartFire Festival

somethingaboutfood.com

Feb. 1 Naropa University, Boulder heartfirefest.com

Backcountry Film Festival

This new paradigm in festival culture, combines conscious music and performance art with spiritual teaching and transformational workshops.

Vegan Boulder Ethnic Market Tour Feb. 1 Villa Shopping Center, Boulder

126 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

Feb. 6 The Caribou Room, Nederland winterwildlands.org

This 15th annual celebration of the human-powered experience is presented by the Winter Wildlands Alliance.

Winter Folk Feb. 7–Mar. 1 (weekends) The St Vrain, Longmont fafcolorado.org/winter-folk

This movie and photography show-

THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

BELOW: DENVER RESTURANT WEEK RIGHT: GRILLED CHEESE & BEER FEST

case to benefit Col- and silent cinema orado youth arts featuring classic programs features stoner flicks. live bands and culminates in a Blue- Star Brews Beer Festival grass Weekend.

Monster Jam Feb. 7–9 Pepsi Center, Denver monsterjam.com

Feb. 8 Temple Nightclub, Denver rockstarbeer.com

Temple is transformed into an Grave Digger, Scoo- intergalactic playby-Doo, and Aveng- ground for tastings er headline this from more than 20 gathering of the top craft brewers, food, monster trucks on and live music from the circuit. the Storm Rockers and R2-D12.

#420 Silent Party: Pride Edition Sufferfest Beer Feb. 8–9 Co. Old Man Private Location, Denver Winter Bike silentpartyworld.com Rally & Run Silent Party World presents a silent party, silent concert, silent cypher,

Feb. 9 LaVern M. Johnson Park, Lyons oldmanwinterrally.com

The Wizard’s Beer Festival Feb. 14 Diebolt Brewing Co., Denver bit.ly/2FILqbm

PHOTO COURTESY OF MILE HIGH GRILLED CHEESE & BEER FEST

Don your wizard cap and enjoy local DJs, tarot card readers, wand- and potion-making classes, and plenty of dry ice.

circus acrobatics, cheer, acro-yoga, Icarian, and yoga slackers.

Midwinter Bluegrass Festival Feb. 14–16 Ramada Plaza by Wyndham, Northglenn midwinterbluegrass.com

This event features more than Feb. 14–16 just music, with Boulder Circus Center vendors selling incoloradoacrofest.wordpress.com struments, art and This festival brings crafts, and jewelry. together acrobatIt will also have ics practitioners workshops and a and industry lead- band scramble. ers, with leading instructors for

Colorado Acro Fest

Mile High Grilled Cheese & Beer Fest Feb. 15 Runway 35, Denver grilledcheesebeerfest.com

Blunts & Blondes Feb. 16 Ogden Theatre, Denver ogdentheatre.com

Winter Wonder Grass Feb. 21–23 Steamboat Springs winterwondergrass.com/ steamboat

Greensky Bluegrass, Billy Strings, and Margo Price headline the eighth F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

127

DENVER/ BOULDER

EXDO EVENT CENTER IN DENVER

F E B 12, 2020 @ 7-11 P M

FREE RSVP! SENSIMAG.COM/EVENTS

EXDO EVENT CENTER / 1399 35TH ST, DENVER, CO 80205 NETWORKING / MUSIC / FOOD / COCKTAILS / ART / COMMUNITY

THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

LEFT: TEQUILA TASTING FESTIVAL BELOW: RESTAURANT WEEK

annual music festival featuring more than 20 bands and 20 Colorado breweries.

Explore more than Colorado Garden 150 vacation options and Home Show Feb 22–Mar 1 around the world, Colorado Convention attend seminars, Center, Denver and enjoy music coloradogardenfoundation.org and dancing on the Global Beats Stage.

Check out the latest in landscapReptilian Nation ing, gardening, and Expo home improveFeb. 22–23 ment, including Denver Mart, Denver more than an acre reptiliannationexpo.com of professionColorado’s largest ally landscaped reptile show, featur- gardens, at the reing vendors, breed- gion’s largest, most ers, and exhibits. established garden and home show.

Love Your Life Event Feb. 24 Aurora Cultural Arts District catalively.org/love-your-life

Suicide prevention nonprofit Catalively celebrates art and positive messages at this fundraiser.

Banff Center Mountain Film Festival Feb. 25–27 Boulder Theater, Boulder Tickets at Eventbrite

Winter Craft Feb. 29 Folsom Field, Boulder wintercraftbeerfestival.com

Enjoy your favorite craft beers and discover new ones from more than 50 breweries at this annual event.

Rocky Mountain Antique Festival Feb. 29–March 1 Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, Denver 10times.com/antiquefestival-castle-rock

Denver Restaurant Week Feb. 21–Mar 1 Denver denver.org/denver-restaurant-week

More than 250 of the city’s best restaurants offer fixed multicourse menus for $25 to $45 per person.

Denver Winter Tequila Tasting Festival Feb. 22 Blake Street Tavern, Denver Tickets on Eventbrite

Denver Travel & Adventure Show Feb. 22–23 Colorado Convention Center, Denver travelshows.com/shows

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

129

Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

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

Replicating Innovative Beer Success A new line of THC- and CBD-infused infused beer comes to market from the master of brewing royalty.

W

hile major breweries are still circling the issue of creating a cannabis-infused nonalcoholic beer to bring to market, Ceria Brewing Company has created a new brand of beer conceived and brewed by Keith Villa, one of the top brewmasters in the country. Villa is one of a select few people who’ve earned a doctorate in brewing from Belgium.

He created the popular hot-seller Blue Moon for MillerCoors in 2015.

After the success of Blue Moon, Villa retired in 2018 from the company and quickly saw another brewing challenge—and opportunity—in the cannabis industry: to repeat his success with an innovative product.

Ceria Brewing launched its first

from just 10 minutes for some consumers to as long as 25 minutes. “It’s certainly less time than edibles and more time than alcohol,” Villa says.

“By the time they are done with their first can of Indiewave, most people feel the effects.”

Nonalcoholic, noninfused versions of Grainwave and Indiewave will be coming to Total Wine and More stores in February. A 2.5 mg lager is also in “By the the works.

Villa says the company is looking to time they get into the Denver social consumpare done tion venues, seeing it as a great fit, as with their soon as those venues figure out the first can of legal requirements.

Indiewave, Getting a stronger beer is problematic, he says, since 10 mg is the most people maximum amount allowed per state feel the regulations for a single-serve product. effects.”

“Once we get above 10 mg and up to 100 mg, those servings have to be in —Keith Villa, a resealable container—which is dif- Brewmaster ficult to do with a carbonated drink— and it has to come with a dosing cup like a NyQuil cup, to measure a 10 mg standard serving from the bottle,” Villa says.

Ceria hopes to be fully national with its noninfused, nonalcoholic beers by next month (it will be sold in 24 states February) and with its nonalcoholic infused beers within five years, depending on federal cannabis legalization actions. “It’s a big market for both of those beverages,” he says, adding that having cannabis-infused beer might be a preferable means of consumption for consumers who are nervous about the effects and the perception of being a cannabis consumer.

product, Grainwave, in December 2018. It is a Belgian-style white ale like Blue Moon, carefully replacing the alcohol with 5 mg of THC. (It’s illegal to sell products containing both alcohol and THC.) Ceria recently launched its second product, Indiewave IPA, again removing the alcohol, but this time replacing it with 10 mg of THC plus 10 mg of CBD. “We are rolling it out to as many dispensaries as we can,” Villa says.

“We started with The Green Solution Recreational Marijuana Dispensary chain of stores, [where the IPA] sold out. And now we are past the exclusivity stage with them.”

He says that the THC-infused beer Ceria Brewing Company product is different from edibles in Craft Brewery terms of how long the effects take, ceriabrewing.com

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

131

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E MIGHTY TREE

Mighty Quality Product

Mighty Tree has an in-house trim team at its original 20,000-square-foot, in addition to seven growers there, cranking out 250 pounds a month of high quality flower each month. The company’s new facility is another 20,000-square-foot building, which will be running at full steam within a couple of years. Between the two entitites, the company has about 40 employees.

Mighty Tree is working to develop its own live rosin product using an age-old process with no chemicals whatsoever. s the cannabis industry flower—some 33 strains or so—from its “Live rosin is made with no butane, no matures, there is a steady cultivation facility, Kerr says. “It is rare propane, no solvents whatsoever. It’s increase in the number for Denver and Colorado dispensaries in the purest form of THC concentrate, of cannabis connoisseurs general to stock only in-house flowers,” period,” Kerr says. who are looking for a more flavorful, he says. “Those are two very different Mighty Tree will always work that potentially stronger, and hopefully business models—cultivation and retail.” way, he says. “We are really resting cleaner smoking experience when it He says the company has developed a our laurels on the whole solvent-less comes to their enjoyment of the plant. very sophisticated, automated watering concept. The solvent-less concentrates One of the dispensary companies facility at its cultivation center to keep are going to be our next major play.” that can offer them that experience is costs down and create a high quality The company has a line of infused preDenver-based Mighty Tree, opening product. “You have these warehouses rolled joints made with bubble hash, their first medical and recreational built for storage or manufacturing that called freezerolls. dispensary in February, 2017. Owner were never intended to be indoor agriculLawrence Kerr just opened another ture facilities,” Kerr says. “So you have grow and dispensary off of I-70 and to master the mechanical equipment Pecos, which is medical only, but he has and try to create a perfect environment Mighty Tree applied for it to be recreational as well. for cultivation in a space that was never Dispensary Mighty Tree has only ever sold its own intended for such activity.” mightytreeco.com

Cannabis connoisseurs have a destination for some of the cleanest THC concentrates available.

A

F EBRUARY 2020

Mighty Tree is working to develop its own live rosin product using an age-old process with no chemicals whatsoever.

S E N S IM AG.CO M

133

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E R I N O S U P P LY

medicate for a higher tolerance. I think people have a higher tolerance now.”

RiNo hosts an annual toy drive and a food drive for the community. This year, RiNo created Denver’s first cannabis health and wellness fair. That community connection is part of its outreach to others who may want to try cannabis as medicine. “We consider our patients ‘patients,’ not customers,” Schooley says. “We love to discuss their ailments and really get to know them.”

Most of the customers who come to RiNo have pain-management issues.

But the clientele also includes military medical cannabis customers coming to the store for PTSD and stress, and other patients who are using it to treat the side effects of cancer treatments.

RiNo staff gives all of its medical “We actually get samples patients the information they need, such as starting out with a small of these dosage product. “We actually get products samples of these products and try and try them all out and give them a firstthem hand experience,” Schooley says, “instead of shooting from the hip like, all out… ‘yeah, you’re going to get stoned.’” instead of Schooley says that he talks to the shooting ut a dispensary into the says general manager Caitlin Sweecompanies that supply products about from the heart of one of Denver’s ney. “It used to be all warehouses how they are made, specifically connewly developed areas, when we first started. We really had centrates. “There is this high cannabi- hip like and you have a match an increase of people living in the noid full-spectrum extract being made, ‘yeah, you’re made in cannabis heaven that can help neighborhood, and we wanted to offer which is basically like the manufacgoing to get grow that dispensary’s initial product good adult-use rec products to those turer growing the THC crystals, which offerings and expand its customer base. who don’t have a medical card.” is a more potent product, coming in at stoned.’”

RiNo Supply is one of those stories.

The company also has a culti95 to 100 percent THC,” he says. “So —Matt Schooley, It has been a medical cannabis vation center in a greenhouse in the industry keeps on evolving, and we store manager destination store since it opened Boulder, which supplies 90 percent want to make sure that our patients for business in 2009 and is opening of the concentrates. are medicating, but medicating propera retail store soon because of the Flower has been a top-seller at the ly and not overconsuming.” growth and incoming population of a store, but oil cartridges and live resin neighborhood that has transformed have moved faster over the last year. into a well-known art district. RiNo “I think there is a big concentrate Supply sells concentrates, edibles, boom that started in California,” store and more than 40 strains of flower. manager Matt Schooley says. “CusRiNo Supply “The neighborhood has grown up tomers basically want a smaller form Supplier and Dispensary around us over the last 10 years,” that is a more potent product, to help rinosupply.com

Trust Is the Key

RiNo Supply has grown up with its neighborhood.

P

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

135

Introducing 1906 Drops: fast-acting enhancements for modern living.

A toolkit of six plant-based experiences to optimize every part of your day. Thoughtful formulations of THC and CBD, plus super effective adaptogens and herbs for energy, arousal, relaxation, sleep, focus, and a happy mood.

@1906NEWHIGHS — 1906NEWHIGHS.COM

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E U L E VA

based supplements and how the FDA will deal with them.

Matt Wolf, the CEO of CPC, explains that the hemp supplement category is “by far the largest opportunity” he has seen in his 25 years in the nutraceutical industry. “However,” he added, “there is an understandable hesitation on the part of retailers to merchandise full-spectrum hemp supplements such as Uleva because of the nuance in FDA regulatory guidance. It’s complicated.”

Wolf notes that the FDA provided a path to bring full-spectrum hemp products to market, using Uleva herbal supplements as an example. “Uleva’s ingredients comply with Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act (DSHEA) requirements and are legal throughout the United States,” Wolf says. “Uleva is not a CBD product.”

Full-spectrum extracts do not violate the FDA’s exclusionary clause, he says, because they contain the full array of naturally occurring nutrients at their naturally occurring concentrations without isolation or fortification of any one component. “Our nutraceutical consumers will appreciate that CBD is one important and naturally occurring component of full-spectrum hemp, which contains over 100 phytoontract Pharmacal Corp. the power of green-tea extract with cannabinoids,” he says.

(CPC), one of the leading full-spectrum hemp extract to proThe company has been told by its contract development and vide a natural energy boost. Uleva retail partners that they appreciate manufacturing partners in Sleep capsules blend melatonin with CPC’s nearly five decades of expethe nutraceutical and pharmaceutical full-spectrum hemp extract to offer a rience in R&D, analytical testing, industries, has created one of the first relaxing touch at bedtime. Uleva Di- manufacturing, packaging, supply hemp wellness products positioned to gest, Uleva Flex, Uleva Relieve and chain, and compliance, Wolf says. appeal to a mass market in the wake Uleva Relax round out the offerings “They also like the hold-harmless and of the legalization of hemp by the in the Uleva line. guaranteed-sale backed by CPC’s $250 2018 Farm Bill.

Through the CPC collaboration, Ule- million dollars in yearly revenue.”

The CPC dietary supplement line, va is positioned to be on the shelves Uleva, is made with hemp and six in regional and national drug chains in different blended formulas that the coming months. But as these hemp include herbal and nutritive ingreproducts compete for dominance in the Uleva dients for various natural effects. new and fast-growing market, there is Hemp Wellness Products The Uleva Fuel capsules combine still some uncertainty about hempuleva.com

Hemp as a Wellness Product Finds Customers

One company’s unique line of dietary hemp products turns heads as it grows in purity.

“[Our] ingredients comply with the… requirements that are legal throughout the United States.

Uleva is not a CBD product.”

—Matt Wolf, CEO

C

F EBRUARY 2020

S E N S IM AG.CO M

137

THE END

Take a day trip to see what the National Wildlife Federation calls one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the US. TEXT CAITLIN DeMARCO

Love is literally in the air this month. If not love, perhaps lust. Or at least the bird part of “the birds and the bees.”

Put plainly, from mid-February through mid-April, sandhill cranes fill the sky, as some 23,000-plus of the 138 D E N V ER /BOU LDE R

F EB RUARY 2020

tall silvery birds with six-foot wingspans descend upon Southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley on their annual migration. They come to rest and to roost—to eat, sleep, dance, and mate.

And when they do, they bond for life, because

cranes know how to keep the romance alive.

Each spring, the pairs renew their bond through a courtship ritual that’s not too different than that sloppy happy couple you see at Milk’s Lipgloss night: dancing, chortling, gesticulating wildly,

throwing napkins in the air—or tufts of grass in the case of the birds. You know, rekindling their fire before taking off to go raise their young.

To which we say, whatever works. And this seems to be working for them.

PHOTO BY CARY ALOIA, COURTESY OF THE MONTE VISTA CRANE FESTIVAL

Flocks of Love