Sensi Magazine - Orange County (February 2020)

I ORANGE COUNTY F E B 2020

GUESS WHO’S

Party like it’s 1999 again ›››

OVER THE RAINBOW

How vibrant hues can conquer the winter blues

INFUSED INSPIRATION

The creative cooking of Chef Randal Brooks

BACK?

CDPH-10003459

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

F E AT U R E S

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Held to Higher Standards

Yummi Karma, female led, is charging the cannabis way in Southern California.

In Living Color

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

D E PA R T M E N T S

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

to keep you in the loop ’90S VIBE Get yours with hot new retro merch.

NEW RELEASES The hottest films and shows this month THIS AND THAT Local artist back on the scene NOW OPEN San Diego’s newest wellness resort LOCAL SPOTLIGHT Chuck Lorre receives ADG award.

18 THE LIFE Contributing to your

ON THE COVER

40 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town LOVE IS IN THE APP The strange and raucous world of online dating HIGH SOCIETY Recapping the #Fight4TheAmazon Gala and last month’s Sensi Night CALENDAR Ditch the dinner date and fall in love with art instead.

50 THE END

Kaneh Co. edibles pack a gourmet punch.

ORANGE COUNTY Rewind your casettes; the ʼ90s are back.

SAN DIEGO Track jackets are making a resurgence in the ʼ90s revival.

health and happiness GET COOKING Chef Brooks’s delightful infusions.

IN GOOD COMPANY

Coliving spaces offer a solution to skyrocketing housing prices and the loneliness epidemic.

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LET‘S SIT & CHAT About Real Estate!

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

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

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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

Tae Darnell Co-Founder, VP of Business Development tae@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 Dawn Garcia Managing Editor dawn.garcia@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com

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

Christia Brockman, Eli Dupin, Rachel Svoboda, Susan Winston 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 Rob Ball Associate Publisher, San Diego rob.ball@sensimag.com Angelique Kiss Associate Publisher, San Diego angelique.kiss@sensimag.com

February isn’t

merely reminding us

to be in the mood for love. And honestly, I’m pretty sure a single day isn’t the be all and end all to romance. This month, life reminds us to find the romanticism within, including coloring your world with emotionally stirring tones, visual revelries, and a sense of humor.

This issue is an opportunity for you to discover who you are, how to ditch the pressures of singledom, couplehood, and consumer-inspired love and instead embrace the love of self— or least have some wild fun learning about dating websites.

Through art shows and gallery exhibitions, wellness retreats, new female-led brands, gourmet edibles, and a chef whose desire to be present and ditch the stigma of bipolar disorder allowed him to find the healing properties of cannabis, we want to encourage you to find your happy.

It’s safe to say that 2019 was a strange and awkward journey for most everyone, but the promise of 2020 is more than seeing clearer; it’s a year to reclaim the life you’ve always dreamed of.

Singer, songwriter Billie Eilish said, “Words are more powerful than some noises. Noises won’t last long. Lyrics are so important, and people don’t realize that.” While she may be referring to the powerful lyrics of her songs, it’s also a cue to listen to the words we tell ourselves. Be kind to yourself this month.

In this issue, fun and light-heartedness is all the rage and that even includes welcoming back the 1990s in a way that encourages self-expression. No matter what you do this month, while you flip through the pages of Sensi, take a break from the daily stressors, dance, paint, eat, inhale, exhale, laugh, and give in to your inner creative. You’re worth it.

The promise of 2020 is more than seeing clearer; it’s a year to reclaim the life you’ve always dreamed of.

B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com

Be bold, be curious, and be alive,

Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S

Dawn Garcia @dawngarcia

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

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CONTRIBUTORS

Eli Dupin, Dawn Garcia

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

Party Like It’s 1999 Old school becomes new again.

With the nostalgia of the ’90s 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 it’s Y2K? The ’90s 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. Wornout concert T-shirts, laced-up midcalf black Doc Martens, and even checkered Vans have all made the fashion cut.

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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.

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.

THAT DOES IT

This & That is artist John Millei’s first solo exhibition in 10 years.

Southern California native John Millei is a self-taught artist and former professor at ArtCenter College of Design whose work has appeared throughout galleries in Los Angeles. His recent work, inspired by his daughter and son, depicts a series of framed edges and comical shapes emphasized by gestalt images and beautifully understated color palettes.

“A series of four paintings of his daughter show sweeps of hair, blue-green ovals for eyes, and a flopping bow on top of the subject’s head. In a painting of his son, the formal problems of painting are more prominent. A dark background is framed on all sides by brushstrokes at the edges, two simple circles near the middle of the picture become eyes, and a slightly curved mark at the base becomes a smile,” reads the descriptions of pieces in Millei’s exhibition, titled This & That, on the Lowell Ryan Projects website.

“Wielding cartoon-like reduction and using sumptuous application of oil and Flashe paint, the paintings play with our mind’s evolutionary imperative to find patterns and meaning, such as perceiving faces and expressions in a collection of shapes and lines.”

Now through February 22 4851 West Adams Blvd. / Los Angeles lowellryanprojects.com

BY THE NUMBERS

33.2 MILLION Cost in euros of statutory health insurance reimbursement on medical marijuana in 2019 in Germany, up 9% over 2018 SOURCE: mjbiz.com

1

BILLION The number of animals that have been killed by the Australia fires, as estimated by biodiversity expert and University of Sydney professor Chris Dickman SOURCE: sydney.edu.au

20

BILLION ART BY JOHN MILLEI.

DOLLARS

The revenue generated in 2018

by US consumers purchasing live and recorded music.

SOURCE: statista.com

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, the enamoring world of 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 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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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

ASEEM TIWARI Writer and Producer, Los Angeles

___________________ I’ve always been of a mindset that one cannot live without cinema. I’m a part of real America that looks to content for their daily escape. I value it deeply, and I consider myself lucky to be a creator.

Question: Which can’t you do without— music or film—and why?

VAL SARKISSIAN

MITCH ROSEN

Interior Designer, Los Angeles

BUILDING A LEGACY San Diego’s newest hotel and wellness resort.

Executive Industry Hospitality Professional, @mrosen62 Chicago

This month, the San Diego hospitality scene gets a new addition with the grand opening of Legacy Resort Hotel and Spa. ___________________ The hotel and spa is designed for a luxurious experience from the moment you step inside. The spa offers an on-site pamperI absolutely love films. I ing menu designed to encourage mental well-being, decrease was exposed to the arts muscle tension and stress, and incorporate spiritual connectivby a relative, Howard Koch, who was an Ameri- ity. Guests will find anti-aging treatments, vegan products, and can producer and director more. This 126-room hotel also has an outdoor pool, concierge services, casual dining at Theresaʼs, and is within walking disin film and television. tance of the 4-D History Dome Theater, international market, That lured me in. At the end of the day, I love film and formal gardens. The hotel officially opens February 1. because it transports you. legacyresortandspa.com

___________________ Music. To me, there’s nothing like it. It takes me away or brings me to places, if that makes any sense.

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 PRIMARY FOCUS A New

3 BORN THIS WAY The odds of

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.

being a “leapling”—a person born on a leap day—is 1 in 1,461.

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.

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 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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THE BUZZ

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT

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.

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LEARN MORE

Chef Randal Brooks off-the-cuff-dining.business.site @ocdla / @chefrandalbrooks

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Infusion Inspiration Cooking up cannabis creations with Chef Randal Brooks.

PHOTO CREDITS (LEFT TO RIGHT): @LYNNEMITCHELL TWENTY20.COM / COURTESY RANDAL BROOKS

TEXT DAWN GARCIA

Randal Dario Mendoza Brooks is a private chef based in Venice Beach, California, whose love of food began when he was a young kid living in New Jersey. He grew up in a family of amateur and professional cooks, and helping out in his uncle’s seafood restaurant spurred his passion for being in the kitchen.

“I loved the pace of the kitchen, all the different tastes and textures, and the possibility of making something with your hands right in front of you.

Cooking with my family showed me how much food made people happy.

That’s a big part of showing love,” Brooks says.

This love led him to the French Culinary Institute in New York, where he studied and graduated, immediately beginning his career working in various restaurants throughout the city. “I

worked under a lot of really incredible chefs who taught me not only cooking skills but about personality and how that can translate to a plate,” Brooks says. “I began to see my own style forming, which I would describe as seasonal avant-garde.

I love bright colors and playing with texture, but I was still cooking other peoples’ food.”

During this time, Brooks was struggling with bipolar disorder and the medication the doctors prescribed. It was interfering with his ability to feel creative in the kitchen, and ultimately it left him hospitalized. “I didn’t feel like myself in the kitchen; all my creativity was gone,” he says.

“I gained a lot of weight and just felt like absolute crap.” Brooks started reading about other possible treatment options, including cannabis.

“I realized that cannabis was really integral to my health and happiness, and I started thinking about how many other people like me could be helped by the same medicine.”

—Chef Randal Brooks

It turns out 2.3 million Americans are diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Brooks turned to cannabis when he made the decision to get off bipolar medication.

“I was desperate to get off of the medication. I started smoking weed every day. It gave me my mojo back. I felt great for the first time in a long time,” Brooks says.

“My head was spinning with ideas about food, and I was genuinely excited to get back in the kitchen. I realized that cannabis was really integral to my health and happiness, and I started thinking about how many other people like me could be helped by the same medicine.”

During that time, he was invited to do a popup at a friend’s restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen.

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NEXT LEVEL CANNABIS

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PHOTO COURTESY OF @OCDLA__

THE LIFE

underground pop-ups, developing his own style, each time coming more and more into his own as a chef. He invested in and opened his own midtown Manhattan restaurant, Venisalvi (now closed). “I fi nally had the freedom to express my creativity and make food that really represented me.

And man, it felt good.

But if my cooking was really going to represent me, my heritage, and my personality, I felt as though it needed to include cannabis.”

The journey he was on was one of conviction, and the decision to cook with cannabis wouldn’t be possible if he stayed in New York where cannabis is still illegal. “Cannabis had changed my entire outlook, improved my way of life, and greatly affected my personality.

It was an integral part of my personal journey, and I truly believed it could improve the lives of so many others like me. I was such a strong advocate for cannabis that I knew no matter how much creative freedom I had in the kitchen, without it, I’d be missing a key ingredient. I also knew that I would never be able to pull off infused cuisine if I stayed there, so in November

of 2018, I packed up my life and moved to Los Angeles.”

Here in Southern California, Brooks’s culinary career has taken flight with innovative and experimental cuisine. “The first thing I ever infused were bulgogi beef tacos.

I think fatty proteins like lamb and duck also pair really well with cannabis oil,” says Brooks, whose menu has evolved to include infused salad and crudo vinaigrettes.

“Anything that cooks in oil or butter can be infused, so the possibilities are pretty much endless,” he says.

“I moved to California to pursue cannabis cooking in an environment where I didn’t have to hide. I’ve done 13 dinners since then, and each one is different. For private dinners, it all depends on the client, their guests, and any requests or dietary restrictions they may have. We work together to plan a menu within their budget.

When it’s a dinner that I’m hosting, every menu is different. I try to stick to what’s seasonal and really just enjoy cooking things that I like to eat.

That’s what makes it fun.”

Brooks and his team— many of whom have struggled with mental health issues and were helped by canna-

Pumpkin Ale Braised Short Ribs With Mushrooms and Polenta / Serves 2–4

• Deglaze pan by pouring beer into pan and scraping up 4 tablespoons butter, divided brown bits.

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided • Return meat to pan, cover, 2 cups flour, divided and transfer to oven for 3–4 hours.

Salt and pepper • Remove meat from pan and 2½–3 pounds short ribs shred from bones. Set aside.

16 ounces pumpkin ale • In a cast iron skillet over 12 ounces sliced medium heat, melt remaining mushrooms butter and olive oil.

15 ounces beef consommé • Add mushrooms and stir to Polenta prepared to coat. Let sit a few minutes, then package instructions stir periodically until tender.

• Sprinkle mushrooms with INST RUCT IONS remaining ¼ cup flour. Stir Heat oven to 275°F for about one minute.

In a Dutch oven, melt 2 • Add consommé. Bring to tablespoons butter into 2 a boil, reduce heat, and tablespoons olive oil simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened.

Add 1 1⁄2 cups flour to a bowl and generously add salt and • Add meat and any cooking pepper. Stir to combine. liquid back into pan and cook until heated through.

Coat ribs in 1⁄4 cup flour. Brown in Dutch oven in batches, 2–3 • Serve over polenta and minutes each side. garnish with parsley.

INGREDIENTS

• • • •

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CHE F N OT ES

• I used NoDa Brewing Company’s Gordgeous Pumpkin Ale, which has cardamom and other spices in it. If you use a different pumpkin ale, you may want to add some seasonings.

• You can cook the short ribs in the beer ahead of time and then just make the polenta and mushroom gravy when ready to serve for an easy weeknight meal.

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Eva Littman, MD, F.A.C.O.G.

Amity Hererra, PA-C

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THE LIFE

PHOTO BY @LYNNEMITCHELL TWENTY20.COM

Blueberry Kush Ice Cream bis—work together to provide multicourse events. His company OCD (Obsessive Cooking Disorder) was named as a way to take the stigma away from mental health issues and normalize the use of cannabis.

“The goal is to have an infused restaurant not too far down the line, but for now I’m just out here doing what I do—cooking my food and spreading the word that cannabis is truly the best medicine.”

Blueberry ice cream with infused whipped cream (also called Bhang) / Recipe by Chef Randal Brooks

IN G RE DIE N TS For the whipped cream

2 cups water 3 cups whole milk or heavy cream 1⁄2 ounce cannabis buds (broken up, but not ground)

INST RUCT IONS For the whipped cream

• In a saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat.

• In a heat-resistant bowl, add cannabis and cover with hot water. Let sit for seven For the ice cream minutes.

2 cups infused whipped cream • Add milk/cream. Use a blunt object like a wooden 1 14-ounce can sweetened spoon or pestle to grind the condensed milk leaves into the milk.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract • Strain through a 1–2 tablespoons tapioca cheesecloth to remove flour for texture (optional) the plant matter.

4 ounces blueberries • Pour strained liquid into a ¼ cup sugar bowl. Whip until you can 1½ cups dark chocolate pull the mixer out and stiff chips (optional) peaks form. Set aside.

to an insulated tub or paper container and freeze for four • In a large bowl, whisk to six hours. together condensed milk and vanilla. (For a thicker ice cream, add tapioca flour.)

CHEF ’S N OT ES • Using a spatula, gently fold • If infusing isn’t your thing, the whipped cream into the replace the infused whipped condensed milk. Do this cream with any whipped slowly in order to keep both cream of your choice. mixtures light and aerated.

• You can split the cream • In a small saucepan on low mixture into smaller heat, cook down blueberries containers to try other with the sugar until your flavor combinations. blueberries burst open. Cool Blueberry with chocolate them down on a sheet tray chips just happens to be for 10 minutes. my personal favorite.

• Fold in chocolate chips and any other added ingredients, then transfer the mixture For the ice cream

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CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

LEARN MORE

THE LIFE

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

LIVING TRENDS

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

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. 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 small homes with a half-dozen or so people to massive corporate complexes like The Collective 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 private rooms (sometimes with bathrooms) and share common spaces such as kitchens and dining areas, gardens, and work areas.

They’re encouraged to interact with one another, often through organized happy hours and brunches.

“Coliving is different than just having roommates…It’s done with more intention,” says Christine McDannell, who lived in 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 Resourc-

es, and Design Your Life, McDannell also hosts the weekly Coliving Code Show every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes, Soundcloud, and coliving.tv. She has watched—and helped—the industry grow up.

As it becomes increasingly impossible for mere mortals to afford skyrocketing rents in desirable cities, however, 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 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 LA 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.”

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

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

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.

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SOURCE: Credit Karma

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HOLDING TO HIGHER

Standards The all-female team at Yummi Karma is growing fast and steadily in Southern California.

TEXT CHRISTIA BROCKMAN

U

pon meeting entrepreneur sisters Krystal and Chelsea Kitahara, and their fellow Yummi Karma founder Alysia Sofios, one is overwhelmed with the passion that this all-female team has for helping people of all ages find the perfect healing remedies for both mind and body. Handcrafting each of their products with a loved one or fellow friend in mind is the key to the success of their cannabis business.

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LEARN MORE

Yummi Karma yummikarma.com @yummikarma

Beyond Business

Alysia Sofios

Chelsea Kitahara

The young and driven trio began their cannabis business journey at the height of a male-dominated time in the industry. Early in their cannabis careers, they attended conferences or events only to be met with eye rolls and mistaken “promo girl” shout-outs from fellow industry members.

To the dismay of their rivals, the unwelcomed discouragement only propelled the Yummi Karma team forward to solidify their place in the cannabis industry.

“We had something to prove. We have a voice, and we are going to do it the right way,” Sofios says.

The Yummi Karma team has come a long way since those early days, making a name for themselves in a burgeoning field.

Like so many women in the industry, the women of Yummi Karma were underestimated by their industry peers.

After years of waiting for legalization, the Kitahara sisters and Sofios passed numerous tests, making Yummi Karma among the first licensed cannabis companies in Orange County, California.

The privately funded, start-up company now boasts hundreds of safe products that have been developed with top quality ingredients. “Everyone in the

Krystal Kitahara

cannabis game has the same goal,” Sofios says. “To create safe and effective products.”

Yummi Karma is run by a group of women who believe in the products they produce. They are all hands-on—pumping, mixing, and testing the products themselves.

While recognizing the accomplishments of companies who have gone corporate, Yummi Karma wants to stay small, more in the spirit of cannabis. “There is something about products that are made in small batches that sets them above the rest,” Chelsea says.

Devoted to being a positive presence in the space, Yummi Karma has set out to custom develop products that tell a story and target a wide range of cannabis needs. The company currently sells “drops” (tinctures with no alcohol), cremes, and other topicals designed with women in mind.

The beautiful packaging may look feminine, but many men have also found the company’s products to be beneficial.

“When starting out, we would go to collectives and look at the shelves and find nothing for women. Only Ziploc bags or paper bags with twist ties. We did not want that,” Sofios says.

The client base at Yummi Kar-

The founders of Yummi Karma are partners but above all they are family.

For Krystal, Chelsea, and Alysia, their careers guide their lives. Right now they are 100 percent invested in their business with little thought of slowing down anytime soon.

Krystal and Sofios joke that their new husbands knew exactly what they were getting themselves into. “They werenʼt just marrying a woman, they were also marrying a business,” Krystal says.

ma falls into five categories motivating their purchase patterns: abnormal sleep, PMS symptoms, anxiety, pain, or lifestyle. Lifestyle refers primarily to recreational use, which many are finding to be a good alternative to alcohol.

Cannabis products are heavily tested before being authorized to sell, and Yummi Karma passes all the tests with flying colors.

The approval process for cannabis products is much more critical than that of food or beauty lines. “In fact, many products in the beauty industry, such as clay masks would not pass the cannabis product test due to the copious amounts of lead and other minerals found in the clay,” Sofios says. “Cannabis products are F EBRUARY 2020

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“There is something about products that are made in small batches that sets them above the rest.”

—Chelsea Kitahara, Yummi Karma

heavily vetted to ensure they are clean and safe for all to use.”

The company’s most popular product, Drift Away, was originally developed with the Kitahara sisters’ mom in mind. Their mom had been having issues sleeping for many years and was prescribed medication, but she was less than happy with the next-day groggy hangover-like effects. After working with an herbalist, the Yummi Karma team created a drop blend of herbs with varying levels of THC. Now, the Drift Away blend has replaced their mom’s sleep prescription medicine allowing her to enjoy a far better night’s sleep and giving her reason to enjoy the days.

The team recently worked with a group of veterans who experience PTSD. Their product, High Spirits is high in CBD, low in THC, and taps into the entourage effect (the interactive synergy between cannabis compounds). The company is looking to launch a line of “entourage” products soon. Another popular product for daytime use is Stay Lifted, which is used primarily for anxiety, pain, or in-

flammation. The product is ideal for people with low THC tolerance levels because it includes additional energizing ingredients such as B12 and green tea. This combination creates an awake, uplifted feeling and has a hybrid cannabis stream that helps create calmness.

Being mindful that everyone responds to THC differently, the Yummi Karma team has developed products for those who are canna-curious as well as experts. Yummi Karma develops products based on people the founders have met or were introduced to who needed something specific for their symptoms. They continue to update and refresh their product lines based on customer feedback. They read and discuss every email that comes in because they want their customers to feel like this is their personal brand of cannabis. “We listen and that’s effective,” Sofios says.

Yummy Karma is proud to be in 200 licensed stores across the state of California. That said, the team at Yummi Karma urges patrons to always make sure they are heading to fully licensed and legal

dispensaries and cannabis retail locations. “What some don’t understand is that by not doing their due diligence, if a customer unknowingly enters an illegally operated dispensary or cannabis retail store, they run the risk of getting arrested in the event of a raid. Always look for their cannabis retail license,” Sofios says. “Illegal shops are a major problem right now.

Their products are not tested, they are unsafe, and shops are being shut down every day as a result.”

“Our mission still brings us to work each day. What keeps us going are the emails and calls we get every day from our customers.

The rewarding feedback makes everything worth it,” Sofios says. “[It] keeps us going.”

As founders of a start-up, they’re doing things the way they want and wouldn’t have it any other way. While other companies are looking to grow fast, Yummi Karma is growing slow and steady and in a smart way. They have an entrepreneurial vibe and plan to stay true to their roots because that’s what made them who they are.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christia Brockman is an account supervisor for The Sunday Brunch Agency located in Newport Beach, whose passion is in helping tell the story of unique brands.

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

TEXT SUSAN WINSTON, MFT

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Meeting that special someone is no longer an organic process.

Rarely do you find your person through a party or a chance meeting in a bar or grocery store.

Thanks to technology and overzealous web developers, we’ve streamlined dating to pre-process 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 websites.

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

Thanks to technology and overzealous web developers, 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.

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

Hotsaucepassions.com is “a social network for people who think food is bland if it’s not spicy enough to make their forehead sweat.” The site 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 F EBRUARY 2020

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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 love pretending 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 num-

People who have a thing for clowns have the privilege of choosing from two dating sites.

ber 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 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.

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THE SCENE

Known Battlegrounds PUBG Mobile plays games in the fight to save the Amazon.

TEXT DAWN GARCIA

“Every minute, 50 acres of rainforest are lost forever. Rainforests are the life-support system of our planet… but climate change, species extinctions, and deforestation threaten all life on Earth,” says the nonprofit Rainforest Trust on its website.

The fires and destruction happening in the rainforests of the world are leaving a horrid taste in every environmentalist’s mouth, and rightfully so. But with the outbreak of recent fires started by an onslaught of logging and cattle farming, the smoke being released into the air we are breathing 44 SOU T H ER N CA LI FO R NIA

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is harming the planet and our species.

For one night, celebrities, advocates, and gamers came out to raise money to save the Amazon from being destroyed. The evening took place at Avalon Hollywood, and the space was transformed into a rainforest. PUBG Mobile, the official mobile version of the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds video game series, along with actors and humanitarians Megan Fox and her husband, Brian Austin Green, came out to Hollywood for the #Fight4TheAmazon charity event. The funds raised during this campaign

benefitted Global Green, a world-renowned nonprofit with local partners on the ground in Brazil who are working to help put out the fires and plant thousands of new trees in the Amazon Rainforest.

Former pro wrestler Nikki Bella, hip-hop dancer Stephen “tWitch” Boss, and PUBG Mobile influencer Pickles played on Fox’s team, while dancers Allison Holker Boss and Artem Chigvintsev as well as PUBG Mobile influencer McCoffee played for Green’s team. TV host and recording artist Kimberly Caldwell and her husband, Major League Soccer star Jordan Harvey, co-hosted

a trivia contest where partygoers competed for special #Fight4TheAmazon backpacks made from 100 percent recycled water bottles while Fox and Green competed.

“Nothing is more important to us than protecting the planet from the potential devastation of climate change,” says Green. “The Amazon is a critical component of that, so this was a great opportunity for us to help make a positive impact for our kids and future generations.”

Fox echoed Green’s sentiment: “We are so proud and honored to have been involved in PUBG Mobile’s #Fight4TheAmazon campaign. And while this is just the beginning and there is so much work left to be done, we know that if we all come together, we can make a huge difference.” Funds raised from the #Fight4TheAmazon campaign will help restore the Amazon. “In 2020, we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, which is a reminder that the world needs to come together for the future of our planet,” says William Bridge, COO of Global Green.

PUBG donated $100,000 to Global Green to ensure that a minimum of 50,000 healthy saplings will be planted in the Amazon rainforest.

PHOTOS: HARMONY GERBER AND RYAN MILLER/CAPTURE IMAGINE

HIGH SOCIETY

THE SCENE HIGH SOCIETY

#FIGHT4THEAMAZON GALA WHERE: AVALON HOLLYWOOD WHEN: DECEMBER 9, 2019

Headline Goes Here Lorem ipsum quam que dolor res.

TEXT AUTHOR A. PERSON

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“This was a great opportunity for us to help make a positive impact for…future generations.”

—Brian Austin Green

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

PHOTO CREDITS (FROM TOP): BY SERGIO HOWLAND / COURTESY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Cultural Calendar

Answer the call of creativity and celebrate diversity.

viewers to remove their societal lens through which they have perceived the nation and the people, Quiero Conocerte (meaning “I want to meet you”) is an opportunity to see Mexico in a more romantic light through black and white photography.

a monthly museum pass at any participating library in San Diego County.

San Diego Museum Month

Kimono : A Living History

Feb. 1–29 San Diego County 50 percent off admission sandiegomuseumcouncil.org

Feb. 1–May 29 Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego $12 niwa.org

San Diego is home to some of the most intriguing museums in Southern California. This month, more than 40 of those museums are offering 50 percent discounts on admission (some with free admission). Pick up

Black History Month Parade and Cultural Faire Feb. 1 Downtown Anaheim Farmerʼs Market oc-hc.org

The tradition of the Japanese kimono dates back to the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Sewn with precision using the straight-line cutting method, kimonos (Japanese for “things to wear”)

TEXT DAWN GARCIA

This month the worlds of art, culture, music, and cannabis invite you to stir your soul, feed your belly, and open your mind.

The Magic and Photographs by Flair of Mary Blair Graciela Iturbide Now through March 7 and Manuel Hilbert Museum of California Álvarez Bravo Art, City of Orange hilbertmuseum.org

México Quiero Conocerte:

Now through March 15 Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego mcasd.org

Featuring the works

of two of Latin America’s most celebrated photographers, Iturbide and Bravo, this exhibition captures the essence of Mexico through intimate imagery. Inviting F EBRUARY 2020

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decadent chocolate on a refined catamaran. Depending on how active the sea life is, you may even catch a glimpse of a whale or two playing out in the big blue.

Prices start at $29 per person.

The Heart of Hip Hop

PHOTO BY @CRIENE VIA TWENTY20

Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m.

Honda Center, Anaheim hondacenter.com

were made as daily wear, and their fabrics would vary based on occasion.

To date, this tradition is still thriving, though it is primarily reserved for special occasions.

which ingredients get the sexual feelings moving. Cook aphrodisiac-awakening desserts such as fresh strawberry and chocolate mousse tarts to invoke a little ooh la la.

Aphrodisiac Cooking

Super Bowl Sunday

Feb. 6, 11:30 a.m.

Zovʼs Bistro, Tustin $75 zovs.com

Feb. 7, 3:30 p.m.

Stag Bar + Kitchen, Newport Beach stagbar.com

Learn the art of sensual cooking by understanding

Get your game face on and watch the 54th Super Bowl on

one of 16 big-screen televisions. Open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Party Gras Feb. 12, 9 p.m.

Aqua Lounge, Newport Beach aqualoungenb.com

Celebrate New Orleans Mardi Gras seaside in Newport Beach, kicking off with a surprise “party gras” cocktail. The cost is $25 per person or $239 per night for hotel packages.

Valentine’s Day Sunset Cruises Feb. 12–14 Golden Lantern, Dana Point danawharf.com

It’s that time of year when lovers celebrate, and Dana Point is the perfect place to cuddle up and head out on a romantic sunset cruise. Each cruise features complimentary champagne, and some include a sparkling wine tasting, bottomless bubbles, and

If you grew up in the 1980s, you were privy to the birth of hip-hop. The music industry has since soared because of this genre, and kids and adults alike have sung lyrics, danced their booties off, and celebrated the music that has changed our lives.

This month, revisit some of the bands that changed the hip-hop game in the 1990s and 2000s, such as Ashanti, Ja Rule, and DMX. Tickets start at $49.

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THE END

GET YOURS

Kaneh Co. kanehco.com @kanehcompany

The Quintessential Gourmet

With or without the cannabis infusion, these treats all stand on their own and could easily be on shelves in any of LA’s gourmet culinary shops.

Items are infused with five or 10 mg of cannabis extract made from California-grown marijuana plants and are available in 200 dispensary locations These infused edibles pack a delectable punch. throughout California, TEXT DAWN GARCIA with the majority being in the San Diego area.

“Quality and consistency are the main pillars Female entrepreneurs King took her passion Quintessential Brownof our brand,” King says. and consumers are for cooking and created ie with the cocoa and “Our products taste good leading the charge in Kaneh Co. in 2016. cannabis pairing is a rich with or without cannathe wellness space with Kaneh’s gourmet edlittle bite that can’t be bis, though ultimately, heavy ties to the cannaibles include offerings beat.” King says. “Since we want to align ourbis industry, and that has such as Triple Berry we started, however, it’s selves with those who are extended into the culiWhite Chocolates, The the Best of Both Worlds like-minded in cannabis, nary space as well. San Quintessential Brownie, Brownie that’s our best- and continue multi-state Diego–born Rachel King, Chocolate Paleo Bites, seller. It’s a delicious expansion. We also want founder and culinary di- and PB&J Blondies. The taste of brownie and to continue growing our rector of Kaneh Co. has line also features Manchocolate chip cookie staff and infrastructure.” launched a line of gourgo Chili gummies. “The in one.”

Kaneh Co. employs 65 met cannabis-infused people, predominantly edibles. Named one of women in the industry, the best new pastry chefs and sells approximately

by Food & Wine in 2013, 100,000 units of product per month.

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