Sensi Magazine - North Bay (February 2020)

I N O RT H BAY F E B 2020

GOLD & GLORY

Squaw Valley’s 1960 Olympic Winter Games made history

COLIVING IT UP

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NORTH BAY SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

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F E AT U R E S

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Olympic Gold

Take a look back on Squaw Valleyʼs 1960 Winter Olympics, 60 years later.

In Living Color

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

SPECIAL REPORT

Higher Love

Explore the amorous side of cannabis.

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

to keep you in the loop BURGER BREAKDOWN West County’s top three patties NEW RELEASES The hottest films and shows this month ’90S VIBE Get yours with new retro merch.

14 THE LIFE Contributing to your

40 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town PREMIERE PREVIEW A first look at the Premiere Napa 2020 Wine Auction CALENDAR Must-do events and attractions this month

50 THE END

Find your happy place— then tell us you found it!

ON THE COVER Cannabis invites us to explore sexuality as a beyond-the-body experience.

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

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

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

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb CEO ron@sensimag.com

Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com

Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Patty Malesh Managing Editor patty.malesh@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com

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

Madeline K. LeJune, Dan McCarthy, Nora Mounce Contributing Writers DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Kiara Lopez Designer Josh Clark Designer Jason Jones Designer em@sensimag.com PUBLISHING Nancy Birnbaum Publisher nancy.birnbaum@sensimag.com Sam Delapaz Associate Publisher sam.delapaz@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com

Whether cupid has you in his sights

or you have that new Peleton bike (despite that tragically misguided commercial) in yours, February is all about opening up your heart chakra (and maybe your arteries). In yogic traditions, an awakened heart chakra promotes balance, compassion, connectedness, and synergy. The hard work, however, of opening our heart chakra comes in the form of self-reflection and emotional openness. Such work is hard because it requires us to admit to and embrace our vulnerability in order to make peace with it in ourselves and understand it in others. In this respect, an open heart chakra is a powerful source of both empathy and serenity.

But an open heart is also one that embraces challenges. One that pushes for greater endurance. It’s in our nature to dust off a broken heart so that it can shine or to want to best our own personal best—whether it’s beating yesterday’s plank challenge or finally hitting that high note when you’re singing alone in the shower at the top of your lungs to that ’90s song you won’t admit to loving. It’s about laughing at ourselves and sharing in the laughter of others.

This issue is dedicated to what connects us, despite our differences. Our feature on the 60th anniversary of the Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley reminds us that competition can bring us together just as easily as it can tear us apart. Our coverage of Premiere Napa reminds us that celebration is also key to a happy heart. And our review of burgers in the North Bay includes a house-made plantbased version for those looking to increase their compassionate consumption or decrease their cardiology concerns.

We challenge you to open your heart. Have a conversation with a stranger. Sign up for Bay to Breakers. Dance like no one is watching.

Heck, dance when you know no one is watching. Face your fears and know you are not alone. We are all afraid. Listen without prejudice to someone who disagrees with you. Ask them to do the same with you. Search out commonalities instead of fractures. Plan a trip.

Drink some wine. Hit the slopes. (Not in that order.) Stretch your muscles and your mind this year. And take some time to read Sensi.

We challenge you to open your heart.

Have a conversation with a stranger. Sign up for Bay to Breakers.

Dance like no one is watching.

Heck, dance when you know no one is watching.

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

Patty Malesh patty.malesh@sensimag.com F EBRUARY 2020

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Try these top three West County burgers (and yes, one of them is plant-based).

The more bohemian, coast-hugging communities of Sonoma County make up what we residents refer to as “West County.” While there are many stunning restaurant options here, only a few can hold the coveted title of “best burger.” These are our top contenders: 10 N O RT H BAY

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The Rocker at Rocker Oysterfellers

in the know stop by for the Rocker Burger. This Stemple Creek Ranch grass-fed beef patty stands on its Situated in Valley Ford, one own but you donʼt have to of the North Bayʼs smallest keep it that way. Consider communities (pop. 147), Rocker Oysterfellers (rockeroysterfellers.com) is a favorite among locals as well as passersby. Folks

topping it with roasted oyster mushrooms, onion rings, a fried farm egg, or that magic that is baconaisse. Or have it like we do—with Firefly Pimento cheese sourced from Valley Ford Cheese and Kennebec fries on the side.

This combo will make you very, very happy. Trust us.

PHOTOS BY (FROM TOP) DAWN HEUMANN / PAIGE GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY

BOHO-BURGER BLISS #1

CONTRIBUTORS

Dawn Garcia, Madeline K. LeJune, Stephanie Wilson

#2

The Melrose at Handline

Located on Sebastapolʼs Highway 116, Handline (handline.com) is a kid- and pet-friendly, fast-casual eatery with a focus on mindful ingredients. Inside this repurposed Fosterʼs Freeze, we found our favorite housemade plant-based patty. Made with quinoa and lentil, The Melrose (shown left) does not try to imitate meat like its Impossible Burger and Beyond Beef brethren. However, it stays true to the flavor of its ingredients and surprises the palate with a savory flavor profile that pulls from shiitake mushrooms, miso paste, and nutritional yeast. Add an order of fries to dip in either of Handlineʼs two housemade sauces or ketchup. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike will find this burger compelling.

PHOTO BY MADELINE K. LEJUNE

#3

The Grilled Burger at Underwood

Nestled in the cozy town of Graton, Underwood Bar and Bistro (underwoodgraton.com) has thrived for more than 18 years, and its grilled hamburger has been one of its most popular menu items. Made with Niman Ranch beef and topped with your choice of white cheddar, Gruyère, gorgonzola, and applewood smoked bacon, this dank and juicy burger is plated with fermented red onions, sliced pickles, and crispy french fries. Chef-owner Matthew Greenbaum sources his buns from local Costeaux Bakery. This burger is what beloved bartender Gaelen Osbun refers to as “emotional,” and heʼs not incorrect.

BY THE NUMBERS

11th STATE

On January 1, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize recreational cannabis sales and the first state to do so by an act of the state legislature.

50K PANELS The current number of three-by-six-foot memorial panels that compose the AIDS quilt—begun in San Francisco in 1987. This year, it is returning to the city as part of the National AIDS Memorial in Golden Gate Park.

$3.4 BILLION The net worth of White Claw maker Anthony von Mandl

Coming Soon Here’s a look at new releases.

With the awards season in full gear, itʼs also a time for some fun new releases in film and TV. On the big screen, Margot Robbie 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 Valentineʼs Day, and it’s anything but campy. Guests are invited to the most seemingly perfect island to live out their fantasies, but what theyʼve 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.

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BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

2 LEAP OF FAITH While the calendar year is 365 days, it takes the Earth 365.24 days to orbit the sun. Every four years, we add an extra day to the month of February because without it, the calendar would be misaligned with the seasons by 25 days after just 100 years.

3 BORN THIS WAY The odds of being a “leapling”—a person born on a leap day—is 1 in 1,461.

4 RIGHT ON On February 29, some places celebrate Bachelor’s Day or Sadie Hawkins Day—both a nod to the old Irish tradition that gave women the right to propose marriage to a man on leap day. If he declined, he was required by law to pay a penalty, often in the form of gloves so she could hide the shame of her bare ring finger.

5 MODERN LOVE Since we’re not all Irish, but we are all feminists (because we all believe in the equality of the sexes, of course), any of us can propose to whomever our heart desires whenever we want.

Except Valentine’s Day. There’s no law prohibiting it but, sweetie, payas-you-go forced romance is anything but romantic.

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

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BILITIES

THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

RUDY REEVE

Sales Associate, Any Mountain, Corte Madera

___________________ When Jonny Moseley won the gold medal in moguls in 1998 [in Nagano, Japan].

Question: What is your all-time favorite Winter Olympics moment?

JONNY MOSELEY JAMIE COLLETTE JACK COGHLAN CAMILLE OLVERA Olympian, co-owner Moseley’s Spirits and Sports, Corte Madera

___________________ My favorite winter Olympic moment was that time I won a gold medal back in ’98!

Copywriter San Rafael

Former Pro Snowboarder and Coach, San Rafael

Team Member, Mercy Wellness, Cotati

When Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins won gold for the US women’s cross-country skiing team in 2018. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.

In 2002, I watched Ross Powers—a [snowboarder] I was coaching—win gold!

The US swept the whole podium that year.

When Brian Boitano won gold in ’88 and pop culture went wild.

It was the first time I remember a male figure skater being popular in the media.

___________________

___________________

___________________

ANÃ ORSI

Stay-at-home mom, Former Paramedic, Sonoma

___________________ Anytime I watched Kristi Yamaguchi skate. She always stood out as extra amazing.

“The sport of skiing consists of wearing three thousand dollars’ worth of clothes and equipment and driving 200 miles in the snow in order to stand around at a bar and get drunk.”

—P.J. O’Rourke American political satirist

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999

Old school becomes new again.

With the nostalgia of the ʼ90s revival including the comeback of scrunchies, old school hip-hop parties, cartoon reboots, grunge fashion, army pants, vinyl records, and the Friends craze ever present, why not celebrate like itʼs Y2K? The ʼ90s were the era when grunge was born; punk rock got a resurgence; indie music fests took off; personal style was nonconformist; music was insanely good, angsty, dance-worthy, and impactful (Nirvana, Beastie Boys, Tupac, N.W.A., Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees, Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, and so many more); and the teens and twentysomethings finally felt like their voices were being heard.

Grunge Nirvana tees and Doc Martens still rule. Worn-out concert T-shirts, laced-up midcalf black Doc Martens, and even checkered Vans have all made the fashion cut.

Camo + Track Suits They’re not really just for running. Beyond gold chains and velour, track suits and jumpers are back again, as are camo pants.

Nirvana Smiley Shirt $25 / hottopic.com Adidas Track Jacket $80 / macys.com Scrunchies / $12 per set urbanoutfitters.com Cruise Deluxe Turntable $74 / crosleyradio.com

Scrunchies In the ’90s, they were a girl’s best friend. They accompany a side pony tail or a messy bun, and they don’t rip your hair out.

Crosley Record Player The ’90s were all about hitting up Tower Records or Penny Lane in Venice Beach. Now vinyls are back and cooler than ever, and the Crosley turntables are where it’s at.

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Room with a Few

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

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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After an artistic breakdown (complete with tequila), serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti cleared out of his townhouse in Venice Beach and hit the road. He spent a year and a half visiting clients, friends, and family, which was fun, but he eventually got pretty tired of Motel 6s. When a business opportunity came up in Denver, Masitti figured he could handle making a six-month commitment to a living space.

A 350-square-foot micro-studio in Turntable Studios, a former hotel next to Mile High Stadium, felt comfortingly familiar and provided what he was looking for—affordability and a downtown view—as well as something he had no idea he needed.

After he moved in, Masitti started noticing groups of people hanging out and drinking wine in front of the building every evening around 5 p.m. “I was like, oh, fuck yeah,” he says. “Being somebody who works from home, I’m like, this is amazing.

I don’t have to leave or set up happy hour with friends. It’s almost like a Hotel California.”

Masitti is now part of a 20-something-strong community at Turntable that not only meets

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

—Mario Masitti

every evening for happy hour but also regularly sits down to share dinners and conversation, sometimes accompanied by a guitar or two, and casually keeps track of one another’s activities and well-being. An introvert at heart, Masitti loves this fluidity. Even when he’s not feeling hugely social, he can pop outside or upstairs to the community room for quick visits.

“I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen a place with an organically grown community like this,” Masitti says.

“Usually, you just kind

of keep your eyes to the ground. The pool is always empty. No one uses the amenities. This place is the opposite.”

The camaraderie has been the balm Masitti’s road-weary soul needed.

“Even my mom’s like, ‘You’re so happy again!’” he says.

“Friends Are Included” Loneliness is a killer, more dangerous than obesity and smoking. Studies have found it leads to heart disease, stroke, and immune system problems, and it could even impair cancer recovery. A researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark

Serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti

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THE LIFE

found loneliness a strong predictor of premature death, declining mental health, and lower quality of life in cardiovascular patients, and a Brigham Young University professor’s meta-analysis of studies from around the world found that socially isolated adults have a 50 percent greater risk of dying from any cause than people who have community.

That’s sobering, especially when you consider that 40 percent of American adults suffer from loneliness, according to an AARP study. And it’s one reason coliving—a new form of housing in which residents with similar interests, values, or intentions share living space, costs, and amenities—is exploding.

Coliving situations run a spectrum, from the resident-driven Turntable model to small homes with a half-dozen or so people to massive corporate complexes like The Col-

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

lective tower with 550 beds in London. Residents, who stay anywhere from a few days to several years and usually don’t have to sign a lease or pay a security deposit, sleep in their own small private rooms (sometimes with bathrooms) and share common spaces such as large kitchens and dining areas, gardens, and work areas.

They’re encouraged to interact with one another, often through organized happy hours and brunches. Ollie, which operates coliving spaces in New York and other cities, advertises that “friends are included.”

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention,” says Christine McDannell, who lived in unincorporated coliving houses for years before she launched Kindred Quarters, a coliving operator with homes in San Diego and Los Angeles, in 2017.

Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life, McDannell also runs Kndrd, a software company for coliving managers and residents, and she hosts the weekly Coliving Code

Show every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes, Soundcloud, and coliving. tv. She has watched— and helped—the industry grow up, and she’s amazed at how few, if any, horror stories she hears.

That’s largely because millennials—by far the largest demographic among colivers—are accustomed to sharing and being held accountable through online reviews, she adds.

“You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city,” she says.

“When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.”

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Nearly a third of American adults live with roommates.

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

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

People lived communally throughout most of history until industrialization facilitated privatization of family life and housing throughout the 20th century—with a few disrupF EBRUARY 2020

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THE LIFE

LEARN MORE

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

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space.

It’s done with more intention.”

—Christine McDannell

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

SOURCE: Credit Karma

tions. In Israel, people have been living in communal villages called kibbutzim for more than 100 years. In the US, hippies attempted to create communes in the 1960s, but they were destroyed by free love, drugs, and egos (which did a lot to discourage coliving, even today).

At the same time in Denmark, however, cohousing (an earlier iteration of coliving) was emerging as a way to share childcare. Today, more than 700 communities thrive in Denmark. In Sweden, the government provides cohousing facilities.

A handful of cohousing communities following the Danish model have been established in the US, and hacker houses

are common in tech capitals like Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, but the concept has been slow to catch on until recently.

As it becomes increasingly impossible for mere mortals to afford skyrocketing rents in desirable cities, Americans are coming around to coliving and finding creative solutions to all sorts of social issues. Older women are shacking up together following the Golden Girls model. Coabode.org matches single moms who want to raise kids together. At Hope Meadows in Chicago, retirees live with foster kids.

The opportunity to pay lower rent (in many but not all cases) and share expenses makes all the difference in places like

New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles.

When New York–based coliving operator Common opened a development with 24 furnished spaces in Los Angeles for between $1,300 and $1,800 a month, more than 9,000 people applied.

McDannell says coliving is exploding because it solves important challenges that plague modern society. “People are signing away their paychecks on rent and feeling increasingly isolated,” she wrote in “Why We’re Building a CoLiving Community Ecosystem” on LinkedIn. “It is due time that HaaS (Housing as a Service) disrupts the antiquated industry of property management and real estate.”

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OLYMPIC

GOLD Looking back on Squaw Valley’s 1960 Winter Olympics, 60 years later.

TEXT PATTY MALESH

I PHOTO BY BILL BRINER FROM THE BOOK, SNOWBALLʼS CHANCE—THE STORY OF THE 1960 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

BY DAVID C. ANTONUCCI

t was February 27, 1960, and North Bay resident Kaeti Bailie found herself flirting with the bad boys of the US Olympic hockey team in Blyth Arena at the Squaw Valley Ski Resort. She was 16 and sitting right behind the US team’s penalty box. Thanks to Olympic rules at the time, she shared quite a bit of cheeky banter with the boys. (Players were required to stay in the box for their full penalty time, even if the other team scored during their power play.) And that other team did score in that first period. Twice.

The other team was Russia, which took gold in ’56 and was also unbeaten so far in the ’60 games. But that did not stop the US team, underdog though it was, from besting Russia, its Cold War rival, during the first televised Olympic Games, ultimately winning gold for its efforts.

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RIGHT: Spectators watch the finish of the womenʼs alpine race at the foot of Papoose Peak.

American women won silver medals in each of three alpine races.

This was the first time the US won an Olympic gold medal for hockey, and the team still holds the record for being the only US Olympic hockey team to date to remain undefeated throughout the games. They did not suffer a single loss or tie. Twenty years later, in 1980 at Lake Placid, another US men’s hockey team would do the same—upset Russia. That win would come to be known as the “miracle on ice” and harken back to the O.G. miracle on ice. The 1980 US gold would be the first time Russia had not won Olympic gold for ice hockey since its defeat at Squaw Valley in 1960.

THE OLYMPIC BID This win was a proud moment for the US nationally and a lovely 10th anniversary present to Squaw Valley Ski Resort, which opened for busi-

PHOTOS BY BILL BRINER FROM THE BOOK, SNOWBALLʼS CHANCE—THE STORY OF THE 1960 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BY DAVID C. ANTONUCCI

did include the biathlon, which HISTORY ON DISPLAY premiered here as an Olympic On your next visit to the mountain, donʼt miss the event. Prior to 1960, a precursor Olympic Museum, located to the biathlon called military paat High Camp. Its archives trol, which included both skiing and collection include history-making memorabiland riflery, did take place at the ia: US team uniforms, meWinter Olympics in ’24, ’28, ’36, dia archives and articles, and ’48. However, it was only open and a US team hockey stick and puck commemto athletes who were members of the armed forces. The event disap- orating the teamʼs iconic gold medal win. Watch peared from the Olympics in the a short historical film as wake of WWII and returned as the well as other video presentations. Admission is depoliticized biathlon in 1960. free with the purchase of Women’s speed skating also pre- an aerial tram ticket. miered at the ’60 Olympics. For long track skating competitions, including speed skating, Squaw Valley was charged with creating artificial ice, and this was the first The Squaw Valley jumping hill was the largest of the Olympic jumping hills and was time it was used during the Olymconsidered one of the best venues for ski jumping in the world. pics. It has been used ever since.

There was only one ski jumping ness in the 1949-50 season. While create a spectacle would do at that event at the 1960 Winter Olympics, and it was held on the last day the Olympic Games did not put time: He hired Walt Disney. of the games just prior to closing Squaw Valley on the map—it already Prior to the Olympics, Cushing ceremonies. This event marked boasted a naturally heavy snowpack had already disrupted American and the longest double chairlift in notions of ski resort etiquette. He the first time the gold medal was the world at the time—it did show modeled Squaw Valley after its Eu- won by a non-Nordic competitor: Helmut Recknagel, a German. Simthe world that Lake Tahoe’s mounropean counterparts, rather than ilarly, his teammate Georg Thoma tain terrain was destined for epic its US ones, by building resort took gold in the Nordic comrecreational greatness. elements like restaurants on the bined ski jump and cross-country The first US win for the 1960 mountain instead of at the base.

Olympics, it could be argued, goes Once the Olympic bid was won A biathlete shoots at five targets on the 250-meter range at to Squaw Valley itself. Thanks to and Disney was on board for the the Olympic cross-country venue located near Tahoma. the rabid competitive spirit of ski- opening and closing ceremonies, er turned lawyer and Squaw Valley the $80 million village and “Olymfounder, Alex Cushing, Squaw pic experience” would boast what Valley beat out Reno, Nevada; An- Disney deemed a culture of “inchorage, Alaska; and Innsbruck, novation and firsts.” This culture Austria, to become the host of is still part of Squaw Valley today 1960 games. And with this win as an epicenter for free-skiing and came some very high stakes. extreme sport junkies.

Since this was to be the very first televised Olympic Games, Cushing WINNERS, LOSERS, AND FIRSTS had to impress both audiences in For the first and last time in Winattendance and those in their arm- ter Olympic history, the 1960 chairs half a world away. So, he did Olympics at Squaw Valley did not what any American who sought to include bobsledding. However, it F EBRUARY 2020

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PHOTO BY BILL BRINER FROM THE BOOK, SNOWBALLʼS CHANCE— THE STORY OF THE 1960 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BY DAVID C. ANTONUCCI

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event—also the first non-Nordic competitor to take gold.

When all medals had been awarded, Russia swept the games with a total of 21 medals and nearly twice as many gold medal wins as its closest competition.

The US came in second with 10 medals, three of which were gold.

The United Team of Germany (comprising both East and West German athletes) took home four gold medals. This post WWII Olympic union lasted from 1956 to 1964, when each nation began competing separately, until 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

THE COLD WAR ON ICE As the Cold War heated up, the most visible battlefield became the Olympics. And while the big players were the US and Russia, it was what and who they represented that garnered the most concerning international attention.

China’s contested claim to Taiwan led to a significant uptick in tensions between the US, which supported Taiwan, and Russia, which backed China, prior to the 1960 Winter Olympics. Tensions ran so high that the IOC—the governing body of the Olympics—worried the US would not allow com-

munist countries to participate in the games at Squaw Valley. In 1957, less than a year after awarding Squaw Valley the bid to host the 1960 Winter Games, Avery Brundage, president of the IOC, announced a potential reversal of that decision.

In the spirit of the games (and in the hopes of putting the Cold War on ice), he told the US that any attempt to deny entry to the games to communist countries would lead to a complete revocation of America’s right to host the games. It would also leave Squaw Valley in a bad way. Ultimately, the US backed down and agreed to Brundage’s terms, but China, amid still unextinguished disagreements about Taiwan’s participation in the Olympics, refused its invitation to participate in the 1960 Olympics.

GOING TO EXTREMES Today, amateur and professional skiers and snowboarders of all nationalities (and all counties in California) flock to our state’s treasured mountains thanks in great part to what did and didn’t happen on the slopes and in the living rooms of millions of viewers around the globe in 1960. Squaw Valley’s unrivaled challenging terrain, consistent snowpack, and steeps and cliffs in the North Bay’s backyard are a playground for residents and visitors alike. And for some of us visitors (in my case, as a high school sophomore in Baltimore, Maryland, over spring break in 1989), our first visit to Squaw Valley led to our North Bay life today, 30 years later. Now that the Cold War is over, perhaps we can just enjoy the cold.

LEFT: The Tribune of Hon-

or was the location of the Olympic flame, Tower of Nations, and ceremonies for presentation of medals to winning athletes.

Statues flanking the stage were designed and constructed by Walt Disney Co. artists.

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

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

H

umans have used color to express ideas and emotion for thousands of years, according to color specialist and trend forecaster Leatrice Eisman.

As executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Eisman is the world’s leading authority on the topic of color, authoring many books on the subject. In The

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

Color enriches our universe and our perception of it,” she writes.

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

ment, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning that we either inherently sense or have learned by association and/or conditioning, which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.”

It’s with all this in mind that she and a team of experts choose the Pantone Color of the F EBRUARY 2020

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Year, which the institute has named annually for more than two decades, gaining more attention and having more impact with each passing declaration. So this year, expect to see a lot of blue.

The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is known as Classic Blue.

Describing the shade as “evocative of the nighttime sky,” Eisman explains the choice: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.”

She contends that Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious, expand our thinking, open the flow of communication. Her comments are rooted in color theory, which says that a good part of the emotions that colors evoke is tied to natural phenomena. Classic Blue is the color of outer space (look beyond), of the celestial sky (look beyond), of the deep ocean (open the flow).

“Part of our psychic development, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect.

Every color has meaning… which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.”

—Leatrice Eisman in The Complete Color Harmony

One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from German poet and politician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His 1820 book Theory of Colours explored the psychological impact of colors on mood and emotion.

Yellow, Goethe wrote, is the color nearest the light, yet when applied to dull, coarse surfaces, it is no longer filled with its signature energy.

“By a slight and scarcely perceptible change, the beautiful impression of fire and gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul; and the colour of honour and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion.”

Of red: “All that we have said of yellow is applicable here, in a higher degree.” Goethe’s theories continue to intrigue, possibly because of the

lyrical prose rather than its scientific facts.

Today, it’s generally accepted that shades of blue are associated with steady dependability, calm, and serenity.

Yellow evokes the color of the sun, associated with warmth and joy.

Green connects with nature, health, and revival. White stands for simplicity; black for sophistication.

A 1970s study on the body’s physiological responses to colors revealed that warm hues (red, orange, yellow— the colors of the sun) aroused people troubled with depression and increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive folks. Cool colors (green, blue, violet) elicited the reverse, but the important finding was

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that all colors produced clinically tangible results.

It’s not woo-woo science; humans have been using color as medicine, a practice known as chromotherapy, since ancient Egypt. In fact, chromotherapy is as tested a practice as any other alternative medicine— Ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology. While it is widely accepted that color affects one’s health—physically, mentally, emotionally—more studies are needed to determine the full scope of impact as well as its potential to help heal.

This isn’t a new theory, either. In the late 1800s, rays of color/light were shown to affect the blood stream. Later research found color to be “a complete therapeutic system for 123 major illnesses,” according to a

critical analysis of chromotherapy published in 2005 by Oxford University Press.

Today, bright white, full-spectrum light is being used in the treatment of cancers, seasonal affective disorder, anorexia, bulimia, insomnia, jet lag, alcohol and drug addiction, and more.

Blue light is used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Red light helps with cancer and constipation. And that’s just the beginning.

sions that include color wheels. Colored crystal lights. Breathing in colors through meditation.

Infrared saunas with chromotherapy add-ons.

There are actually many ways of adjusting the color in your life, and not all of them require a trip to see a specialist.

Unlike trying to self-administer acupuncture (don’t do that), techniques can be as simple as putting on colorful attire or getting some bright throw pillows or plants. You can never On the Bright Side have too many plants.

When your physical And you should eat more landscape is devoid of plants, too, filling your bright, vibrant hues, your plate with healthful emotional one is affectfruits, vegetables, and ed as well. That’s where spices from every part of color therapy comes in. the spectrum.

It has a deep effect on If a lack of sunlight physical, psychological, has you feeling a lack of and emotional aspects of joy, paint your home or our lives, and it comes office—warm, vibrant in many forms: light ses- yellows and oranges showcase excitement and warmth; browns and neutrals decidedly do not. Choose wisely.

Painting not an option?

Consider temporary wallpaper or hanging large artworks. On a budget? Head to the thrift shop and repurpose an old canvas by painting it white and then adding whatever hues you are vibing with this winter. If it doesn’t turn out well, cover it up with more white paint and start

again. Have fun with it, consider it art therapy.

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

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Higher

SPECIAL REPORT

Exploring the amorous side of cannabis.

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love

TEXT DAN McCARTHY

e

C

annabis is often championed as a cure for bedroom ailments, while at the same time often being misunderstood or simply (if cautiously) being introduced as an acceptable commonplace component to one’s love tackle-box, much like a bottle of wine and 1970s R+B is for some or a Tinder match on a Tuesday night and fistful of Viagra is for others.

Seth Prosterman, a San Francisco–based certified sex therapist, told Vice in 2017 that weed isn’t a one-way ticket to pleasure town, but it can help you get there.

“While pot can help bring out our most sexy selves, disinhibit us, or relax us during sex, I would highly recommend that people learn to be in the moment and deeply feel and connect with their partners without using enhancing drugs,” says Prosterman. “Pot can give us a glimpse of our sexual potential. Working toward our sexual potential, with our partners, is part of developing a higher capacity for intimacy, passion, and deep connection.”

Depending on what social media feeds you’re attuned to, it’s not hard these days to get at least one story fanned your way in a month about something to do with weed and sex.

Sure, some of it is just fluffy prose, and some of it just states the painfully obvious. You don’t need Cosmopolitan to tell you that “getting too high can backfire on your sex life [because it] it makes you too sleepy to have any. Don’t eat a whole pot brownie, and then expect to feel horned up and ready to go.”

That said, there are more and more mavens and mavericks—as

well as manufactured goods, experiences, and bold claims—orbiting the Stoned Sex star. Take, for example, Ashley Manta, sex coach, relationship educator, and proud “cannasexual”—one who’s concerned with mindfully combining weed and sex for desired positive results.

Speaking to the men’s culture publication MEL magazine in 2017, Manta made it clear she’s not a blanket proselytizer intent on turning every client into a cannabis-forward sex enthusiast.

“I’m not out to convert people,” she says. “If people are happy not having cannabis in their sex lives, I’m not going to tell them they’re wrong for not wanting to consider including it. My approach is more like, if you already consume cannabis or you’re open to the idea of it, here are the best practices for mixing it with sex. The idea of being cannasexual isn’t limited to one specific sex act either, or even just partnered sex. I speak of it in terms of one’s overall relationship with their body, sexuality, and self-care.” If you want to see her theory in action, her Instagram (@ashleymanta) is rife with content to back it up.

Manta is known for her cannabinoid-enhanced “play parties.” If you’re imagining a swinging group of couples gathering under the banner of self-exploration, relationship tonic, or just consenting group sex fests with weed lube, that sounds about right.

A satisfied customer, presumably still reeling in coital bliss, posted this feedback on Manta’s website: “Over the course of the night, I watched from my spot at the vape bar as [Ashley] shifted seamlessly from teacher to particF EBRUARY 2020

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ipant to confidant to chaperone…

Nobody and no body was neglected by her. She guided the underinformed on the mindful marriage of cannabis and sex. She allowed the calming rituals of medicating with cannabis to bring those who indulged in it to that place of body-peace that only the right combination of carefully selected strains can induce.”

A glowing review, for sure. However, the science is still out about the use of specific strains as particular keys for unlocking sexy-time happiness in a universal sense.

Blazed in Love Alcohol, on the other hand, has no shortage of both anecdote and hard facts about the good, bad, and ugly regarding drunk sex. Depending on body factors, two or more alcoholic beverages will depress the central nervous system, leading to limp noodles for men, reduced clitoral sensitivity in women, and unsatisfying romps.

There are plenty of positive studies coming out about general findings on cannabis and sex interacting. In 2018, Stanford researchers released findings on the largest study to date that compiled info on sex and marijuana. The data set included 28,176 women and 22,943 men, average age 30, who formed a reasonably representative sample of the US population, according to a Psychology Today column, which reported: “Compared with cannabis abstainers, men who used it weekly reported 22 percent more sex, women 34 percent more.

Among those who used marijuana more than weekly, sexual frequency increased even more. This study did not ask if participants found

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

rman —Seth Proste

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

—Dr. Jordan Tishler, cannabis therapeutics expert

cannabis sex-enhancing, but to an extent, that can be inferred.”

No study exists to confirm that cannabis can totally impair sexual function the way alcohol can, but that doesn’t mean all green means go. Dr. Jordan Tishler knows that well. He’s the founder of the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based Inhale MD, which specializes in cannabis therapeutics, including the intersection of cannabis and human sexuality.

Tishler says people read things on the internet, dive into discussions about different strains and cannabis topicals (see: weed lube), or cook romantic-dosed dinners for loved ones, and that’s fine. “Those things certainly play a factor,” he says, “but generally it’s not my

recommended approach regarding cannabis altering sexuality.”

It comes down to a lack of a standard of research and understanding. If you were to ask 20 casual CBD preachers about its positive effect during sex, you’d get 20 answers. To those who claim it’s the golden ticket to getting laid, Tishler says keep it in your pants.

“CBD for sexuality is a nonstarter,” he says. “It doesn’t provoke libido…. It may help with anxiety or pain if that’s an issue, but what we’re really looking at in treatment of sexual dysfunction or enhancement with cannabis is how it’s used to create healthier relationships.”

Which isn’t to say the new canna-sex specialists creating new

businesses and products or hawking themselves as “experts” are necessarily a bad thing in these early days of legal weed. That there are people doing this and finding an audience suggests bringing such topics and experimentation to light is meaningful to people.

“I could make jokes, but I believe it’s actually a good thing,” says Tishler, who was once asked to advise a company trying to invent a dildo that squirted out weed lube during use. “That we’re comfortable even mentioning sex with cannabis is part of the breakdown of generational stigma.”

Unlike Manta, Tishler thinks having specific strains for bedroom activities isn’t going to make a huge difference. Additionally, sexual lubricants and toys set the mood, but a successful liaison is more about body type, effect, and all interested parties being in sync with each other. Or, for those on a solo mission, in sync with one’s self.

It’s about how cannabis introduced into sexual settings or relationships is a means to stimulate the big sexy organ everyone has above their shoulders, and that, of course, is where the Infinity Stone of getting it on rests for everyone.

“Cannabis can help facilitate situations and discussions and different levels of honesty and intimacy in relationships that need it,” Tishler says. “But what we know about humans is that over 90 percent of what’s going on [to enhance and improve] sex is going on between your ears.”

Don’t let that stop you from sparking a joint next time the mood strikes. It just may take your bedroom bliss to new heights.

F EBRUARY 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

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be its Winter Olympics (or maybe, more accurately, its X-Games).

And while this is an “invite-only” event for trade purveyors and private collectors, regular folk can pop over to Napaland to soak up the wine vibes from February 19 to 22, when Napa will be, if this is even possible, more of a wine wonderland than usual.

The Majesty of Micro-Production Wine-making and collecting is often compared to art, and Premiere Napa is no exception. Approximately 190 Napa wines are up for auction, each one a unique selection crafted

by Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) member winemakers for “just one moment in time,

never to be replicated.”

Lots are limited to 60 to 240 limited edition hand-numbered bottles that are then initialed by each winemaker.

Because wine-makers are unencumbered by the commercial viability of these micro-lots, collectors can expect to bid on wines that represent deep dives into hyper-specific sourcing

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER RUBIN FOR NAPA VALLEY VINTERS

When it comes to wine, anyone who is anyone will be at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone on February 22 for Premiere Napa Valley’s Live Auction. If ever there were an elite community of extreme wine aficionados whose precise palates and pocketbooks were poised to possess the rarest vintner creations, this would

PREMIERE NAPA

Feb. 19–22 Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Napa premierenapavalley.com

of these one-of-a-kind wines are meant to showcase not only the wines and production practices each vineyard thinks of as its unique best but also the creative minds of their winemakers.

Premiere Napa at the Nucleus With so many all-star wine collectors and purveyors in town to scoop up treasured rare wines, you can bet Napa will be fronting its vintner A-game this weekend. Even though you may not be among the bidders on auction day, a trip to Napa is a good idea while Premiere Napa is happening.

During that time, you are guaranteed the best

that Napa has to offer, whether you head that way for some winery day drinking or evening fine dining in Yountville.

Reservations and conversations with strangers strongly suggested.

Subscript: All wines created for Premiere Napa are produced by NVV members and the auction is a fundraiser for NVV. Created in 1944, this nonprofit trade organization celebrates its 76th anniversary in 2020. With approximately 550 members, the organization is dedicated to protecting, promoting, and advocating for Napa as a globally recognized wine region.

and production methods.

A wine whose essence is umami and forest floor heavy might, for instance, source only from an atypical varietal hidden away in the mountains. Another might play with an unpopular type of barrel toasting meant to bring out the coconut notes of a fruit-forward Malbec from the Spring Mountain district. All F EBRUARY 2020

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

On the Calendar Savor your way through the valley this month.

TEXT PATTY MALESH

For many people, February represents love.

But for Californians and beer aficionados, it’s the time of year for something even more special. Pliny the Younger, named after the Roman lawyer and writer whose works survive to this day, is brewed once annually and always released on the first Friday in February. Those in the know will line up for hours to get a pour of Pliny, so if you join the throng, wear comfy shoes and bring company—or make friends with some of the strangers who have flown in just to experience Pliny time.

MARIN

Children’s Center, and Side by Side.

Marin Valentine’s Who’s Live Day Ball Anyway Feb. 8, 5:30 p.m.

Marin Center, San Rafael $250, single; $400, couple marinvalentinesball.org

This 24th annual event features complimentary cocktail bar, live and silent auction, seated dinner, and live music and dancing. It’s a fundraiser for The Godmothers of St. Vincent’s School for Boys, North Bay

Feb. 14, 8 p.m.

Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael $37–$65 marincenter.org

Cat Video Fest Feb. 22, 2–3:15 p.m.

Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael $9 rafaelfilm.cafilm.org

A portion of the proceeds from these screenings will benefit Marin Humane.

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

NAPA Yountville International Short Film Festival Feb. 6–9 Various locations, Yountville $25–$250 yisff.com

This festival will feature more than 80 world class short films, film and wine events, and meet the filmmaker events. Screenings take place at three pop–up locations.

Emergence Festival Feb. 7–9 Performing Arts Center, Napa Valley College, Napa Donation for entry performingartsnapavalley.org

Napa Valley college students, faculty, and staff perform new works—plays, dance, and other performances.

Pliny the Younger, Limited Release Feb. 7–20 Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa and Windsor russianriverbrewing.com

This triple India Pale Ale has three times the hops of a regular IPA. For the first time in its 16

year run, this treat will be on tap each day until the taps run dry, and there’s a maximum of three pours per person, per day. Even better, Pliny will be available for the first time in bottles.

Cork Art Class Feb. 8, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

The Village Food & Wine Center Vista Collina Resort, Napa $58 villagenapavalley.com

Culinary Crawl Feb. 13, 5–8 p.m.

Downtown Napa Association, Napa $40 donapa.com

Wine and Oysters Feb. 15–16, 12–4 p.m.

Black Stallion Winery, Napa blackstallionwinery.com

Enjoy Hog Island oysters (raw and BBQ), award–winning wine, and live music at Black Stallion Estate Winery in Napa over Presidents’ Day weekend. No reservations needed.

Napa Wedding Expo Feb. 23, 2–5 p.m.

Silverado Resort and Spa Free Tickets on Eventbrite

SONOMA Chinese New Year Celebration Feb. 1, 5 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Building, Santa Rosa $25 adults, $10 children recacenter.org

Isabella Rossellini: Link Link Circus Feb. 8, 7–10 p.m.

Sebastiani Theatre, Sonoma $45 / sebastianitheatre.com

The Garagiste Wine Festival Feb. 15 Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, Sonoma $55–$130 garagistefestival.com

More than 40 small local wineries showcase and sell micro– productions and first vintages that you won’t see on store shelves or find in tasting rooms.

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic: The Farewell Tour Feb. 17, 8 p.m.

The Mystic Theatre, Petaluma $75 mystictheatre.com

Santa Rosa Tattoos & Blues Festival Feb. 28–March 1 Flamingo Resort, Santa Rosa $20–$35 santarosatattoosandblues.com

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Photographer @jade.turgel.photography

|

Product collaboration with @highrizeca

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

Sonoma Patient Group

discounts to low income and disabled people to ensure that they are taken care of. On top of that, the company offers everyday deals and senior discounts.

New in the last two years, customers can order ahead or order for delivery.

Big changes are planned that will make the experience even better for customers.

A brand-new facility is in the works that will be state of the art and will enable Sonoma Patient Group to further meet and exceed its customers’ needs. “Our pride is our customer service; we call it base is unsurpassed. Staffers will take hometown hospitality,” Sugg says. “We the time to discuss what customers are try to make people feel welcome.” looking for and the best products to help.

So, the next time you need any product, For people just looking for a nice high, head over to the Sonoma Patient Group they can help there too. and let its staff help. You won’t regret it.

Founded by John Sugg, a pioneer in the cannabis industry who was active in the mid-nineties in the legalization movement, the business operated as a nonprofit for its first 14 years. Its only focus was helping people discover the healing properties of cannabis.

On that point, it offers a variety of programs to help make sure that everyone Sonoma Patient Group can partake in the products that they Dispensary need. The compassion program offers sonomapatientgroup.com

One of the pioneers in the industry also is one of the nicest.

B

orn in 2003 from an overwhelming desire to help others, the Sonoma Patient Group is the longest permitted dispensary in Sonoma County. From the moment it opened its doors, it has preached and followed the ethos of “patients helping patients.” Nothing is more important to the company than ensuring that it meets every customer’s needs and helps people find the correct products.

Because Sonoma Patient Group was a medical dispensary until two years ago, its staff and management are very focused on all the medicinal aspects of cannabis, hemp, and CBD. Its knowledge

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THE END

Under the Rainbow Sometimes it’s the quiet moments in life that spark the deepest joy.

Where and how do you like to read Sensi? I spend my favorite time with this magazine trying to find that spot of afternoon winter sun at Gravenstein Station’s Coffee Catz, known to locals as Sebastopol’s Living Room. A large soy mocha with just one drop of lavender essential oil (because I’m 50 N O RT H BAY

FE BRUARY 2020

freaky that way) in hand, my dog asleep at my feet, and a rainbow overhead create my perfect mood.

When the weather won’t cooperate, I abandon caffeine for some “fancy wine for semi-fancy folks” from Claypool Cellars.

Sometimes, I even treat myself to a truffle (or three) from Eye

Candy as I type events from The Scene into my phone calendar, buy tickets, and chart out my month. This is my Sensi happy spot. Where’s yours? Feel free to send us pics of your happy spot to nora.mounce@sensimag.com and tell us why it brings you joy. You might just see it on this page someday.

PHOTO BY NANCY BIRNBAUM

TEXT NORA MOUNCE

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