Sensi Magazine - Boston (March 2020) by Sensi Magazine

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BOSTON SENSI MAGAZINE MARCH 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

F E AT U R E S

24 Size Matters

Tiny homes are an obvious solution to housing and climate issues. Why isnʼt it easier to find space for them?

In a New Dimension

Paper engineers create the first pop-up book to explore the world 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 SHOW-STARTERS Uncover Pretty Polly Productions DINE OUT BOSTON Our favorite week of flavors is now two weeks! THE NEXT VIAGRA?

One brand promises longer-lasting sex. PRODUCT ROUNDUP

Cannabis wellness done New England–style

36 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town ROAD TRIP Three spring getaways that don’t require a plane ticket HIGH SOCIETY Recapping the annual Shimmer event CALENDAR Spring into action with these events and attractions.

50 THE END

Walk the Charles River Esplanade with people who know its history.

ON THE COVER Hit the road for cannabis-friendly destinations.

18 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness WELLNESS The communities that struggle with mental health most aren’t getting the help they need. HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D

Boston Gardener Gardening Supply

Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary

The Botanist Cannabis Education

Royal Gold Soil

Flourish Software Seed to Sale

Sira Naturals Cannabis Product Innovation

Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber

Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations

Green Matters, LLC Supply Chain Greenhouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations The Leaf Collaborative Education Lev8 Labs, Ltd Terpenes Lofty Labs, LLC Pet CBD Mayflower Medicinals, Inc. Online Reservations Nine Point Strategies Insurance

Valiant Group, LLC Commercial Development

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FACE BOOK Like Sensi Media Group for the parties, topics, and happenings weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re obsessed with right now.

T W I T TER Follow @sensimag to stay up-to-date on the latest news from Sensi cities.

PotGuide Travel & Tourism Pro Garden Solutions Harvest Consulting

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

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb CEO ron@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com

Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

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

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Melissa Howsam Senior Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor

Erving Jean-Jaques, Caitlin Moakley, Emilie-Noelle Provost, Mona Van Joseph 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 Leon Drucker Publisher leon.drucker@sensimag.com Richard Guerra Associate Publisher richard.guerra@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

Back in 2017, when

I was active on Bumble, my bio read as follows: “Small car, tiny dog, micro apartment, big career, huge dreams.” (I go on and off it now; online dating requires the kind of witty texting banter I just don’t have the energy to attempt after writing all day and reading all night, but that’s a story for another issue.) Right now, we’re focusing on the list, which referenced my Fiat 500, my three-pound Chihuahua, and my 239-square-foot apartment. Minimalist living, maximalist personality; it worked. It wasn’t a tiny home, per se, but it was tiny and it was my home. And I loved it. It was cozy, it was bright and inviting, and it made impulse purchases impossible. Every item I brought into the space had to be carefully considered, because space was valuable. If I was on the fence about a shirt or a toaster or a throw pillow, I asked myself what I was willing to part with in order to create room for it on the shelves or in the closet. Living in such a small space as a full-grown adult forced me to be use what I already had, to read the books on my shelves. Living in that mini studio taught me to be content. In Robyn Griggs Lawrence’s feature on tiny homes, you’ll see similar sentiments expressed by people living in such spaces. A celebration of minimalism in a maximalist world, small-space living is a trend that’s still on the rise years after it first came to our collective attention. The article gives you a good sense of why. It may inspire you to seek out your own small spot in which to live. Culling down the arbitrary things you’ve amassed over the last few decades is a cathartic experience that results in a feeling of freedom. As Jack Kerouac pointed out, “If you own a rug, you own too much.” Enjoy the magazine, however many rugs you may own.

Minimalist living, maximalist personality; it worked. It wasn’t a tiny home, per se, but it was tiny and it was my home.

Best,

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

Stephanie Wilson @stephwilll PS: Next month, this letter is coming from our new Sensi Boston editor, Emilie-Noelle Provost, whose name you’ll see throughout this edition. I leave you in very capable hands.

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Show Time Newton-based Pretty Polly Productions knows how to throw a party. Ever wonder whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behind the concerts you attend? Who books the artists? Who puts all the pieces together to make it a reality? Chances are pretty good that Pretty Polly Productions, a Newton-based boutique talent buyer and concert and event producer, could be responsible. The company has been booking and producing concerts, lectures, and comedy shows of all sizes for colleges, corporate clients, and festivals nationwide for over 45 years. It is 10 BOSTO N

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a staple of the New England music from artist selection to production industry, working with schools like and disassembly on the day of your Northeastern, Tufts, and Bentley as big show. well as the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top businesses prettypolly.com / @prettypollyprod to host extravagant private concerts and events. Pretty Polly is behind shows ranging from an intimate 50-person acoustic coffeehouse showcasing Bostonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing local artists to a 6,000-plus-capacity arena concert headlined by the biggest national artists touring today. The company helps with every step,

CONTRIBUTORS

Aaron H. Bible, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Caitlin Moakley, Stephanie Wilson

BY THE NUMBERS

PERCENT The average monthly increase in Massachusetts cannabis sales from the first half to the second half of 2019 SOURCE: Vicente Sederberg, LLP

Nom Nom Time

Now you have two weeks instead of one to taste your way through Boston’s finest eateries. Boston, weʼre blessed. From Asian and Argentinean fare to tapas and sushi, our town is tops for restaurants. And twice a year, you can check them out at crazy reasonable prices during Dine Out Boston (formerly Restaurant Week). Spring tastings will take place March 1-6 and 8-13. You can search for restaurants based on cuisine, neighborhood, or price. Reservations are strongly encouraged but not always required. bostonusa.com / dine-out-boston

200

DOLLARS Maximum fine for driving, standing, or parking in designated bus lanes under Governor Charlie Bakerʼs 2020 supplemental budget bill

THE NEXT VIAGRA? Promescent promises longerlasting sex. Although PE, or premature ejaculation, doesn’t have quite the same stigma as ED (erectile dysfunction), it can definitely become a barrier to intimate and meaningful lovemaking. It’s also a common problem for couples. In fact, Psychology Today recently reported on the “orgasm gap.” In case you hadn’t noticed, men tend to reach an orgasm during heterosexual lovemaking about three times faster than women—5.5 minutes vs. 18 minutes. According to the new brand and product Promescent, up to two billion women go without orgasms each year as a result of this issue. Makers of Promescent, a climax-delay spray, claim it prolongs lovemaking. So, will it become the next Viagra? Check it out for yourself and see if it improves your sex life. promescent.com

10.5 TRIPS Average number of laps to the library adults in the US reported taking in 2019 SOURCE: Gallup,

“Only a fraction of the businesses that applied for licenses have received approval to commence operations, so we are only experiencing a fraction of the benefits right now.” —Adam Fine, managing partner of Vicente Sederberg LLP’s Boston office, on the cannabis industry in Massachusetts

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THE BUZZ

The Life Cannabis Company

You do you, We do Cannabis. Massachusetts Cannabis Retail Locations Hudson: 252 Coolidge St. | Framingham: 665 Cochituate Rd. | Pittsfield: 10 Callahan Dr. Please Consume Responsibly. This product may cause impairment and may be habit forming. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older or persons holding a patient registration card. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.

VOX POPULI

Question: What’s your favorite springtime activity in New England?

FLÁVIA THAÍS

LAURA BEOHNER

LACHE AUGER

DAVID FERRAGAMO

___________________

Business Development Representative Worcester

I love tapping birch and maple trees for syrup. When the snow melts, the first edible you find is wintergreen, which hides under the snow all winter.

I gravitate toward visiting local farms and Wachusett Mountain, going back to the driving range, and Red Sox opening day.

Licensed Massage Therapist Newton

My favorite activity is, hands down, going for walks. From walking down the Charles to hiking the Blue Hills, I love the fresh air in the spring.

Entrepreneur Newburyport

In the spring, I love hiking the different mountains that New England has to offer.

Massage Therapist Boston

I go into hardcore hibernation in the winter, so when spring rolls around, I like to go hiking and walking through the Public Gardens; it’s an easy way for me to reconnect to Mother Nature in between my busy schedule.

Private Cannabis Chef Haverhill

LAUREN PRAY

___________________

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 READING ROOM The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (Knopf, $27). Showcasing her signature literary prowess, Mandel explores the infinite ways we search for meaning in this much-hyped new release, expected March 24. Also out this month: It’s Not All Downhill from Here by How Stella Got Her Groove Back author Terry McMillan.

2 STREAM THIS Freeform’s The Bold Type. Now in its third season, this sleeper hit could be your new favorite series. It’s mine, in no small part because it centers on three young women working for a New York mag. But also because it’s witty AF, aspirational, and depicts successful women who are defined not by their relationships but by their careers. It’s empowering, and you should watch it for free on Freeform, or on your favorite streaming platform. 3 LISTEN UP NPR’s Life Kit podcast offers tools to keep it together. And by you, I mean me; I need all the help I can get. Picking out a lightbulb last fall had me staring mouth agape in a store aisle for a half hour trying to make sense of all the options. After listening to “Picking Out a Lightbulb, Made Easy,” I know which bulb’s for me. Life Kit’s episodes are short, to the point, and offer tips on how to do things like start therapy, start a book club, master your budget, remove stains, and juggle paperwork, appointments, and repairs. Basically how to adult. 4 GROWING TREND Pot in Pots. The Swiss-cheese-leafed Monstera is last year’s “It” plant. Cannabis is the hashtagable houseplant of 2020. Get in on the trend. Depending where you live, you can find clones or seeds at select dispensaries with an easy google—while you’re at it, look up local laws regarding home grows. Cannabis cuttings (a.k.a. clones) are pretty easy to root—check Leafly.com for tips—and you should definitely bring some to your next plant swap. Spread the word, spread the love.

PRODUCT ROUNDUP

SPRING CLEANSING

These sensual herbal products (all made in New England) will help you forget winter ever happened.

BROAD SPECTRUM CBD OIL

The Healing Roseʼs hemp-derived CBD Oil is the perfect addition to your morning routine or a great way to end the day. The Healing Rose provides transparency through third-party testing on every batch. $80 for 1,200 mg /thehealingroseco.com

SISAL BATH BRUSH

Use Baudelaireʼs sisal bath brush on dry skin before a shower to promote healthier circulation and stimulate new skin cells while brushing away the old ones. $10 / baudelairesoaps.com

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE OIL

Badgerʼs Deep Tissue Massage Oil has warming, enlivening ingredients such as ginger and cayenne. $18 / badgerbalm.com

JAVA JOLT BODY SCRUB

Showering with the scent of coffee and mint from Boston-based Organic Bath Co.ʼs Java Jolt is enough to wake you up. Who needs coffee in a cup? $10–$27 / organicbath.co

“I think it’s important that I’m transparent about this new normal.” —Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, revealing she has alopecia areata, a condition that causes her hair to fall out, in an interview with The Root

CLEANSE + FORTIFY BOTANICAL TONIC

Maine Medicinalsʼ gentle yet powerful tonic includes a little detox love from dandelion and nettle along with strengthening Reishi mushrooms and lemon balm. $26 / mainemedicinals.com

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Struggling in Silence People in disaffected communities are more likely to experience serious mental health issues and less likely to seek help for them. TEXT ERVING JEAN-JACQUES

The stark reality of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mental health crisis never hits home quite so hard as when illness affects someone close to us. We may read mountains of books on the subject, talk to mental health professionals, even work in the field of medicineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but nothing can truly prepare us for the emotional toll of seeing a loved one suffer.

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My mother was active, healthy, and independent before she was found on a flight of stairs, exposed to the elements, after suffering a stroke on a frigid February night. She broke her vertebrate and ended up paralyzed. I was traumatized. It is frustrating and heartbreaking to witness the abuse my mother goes through because of her illness, the lack of professionalism or basic human empathy she receives, even in her deteriorated state. My own struggles with my mind became intensified with my mother’s illness, but I neglected to check in with a mental health professional as her condition became apparent. Minor things seemed to be inflated. I was walking a tightrope over a volcano. Despair and anger became my two closest companions, and they reared their heads at the most inopportune moments. I became isolated and plunged into an abyss of self-loathing and rage. In our culture, if you fall ill, you must be lucky enough to have a support network in place or you face near-certain emotional and financial ruin. Fortunately, I had two important people in my life who didn’t give up on me. With a lot of

reading, support, and hard work, I am proud to say I’m finally doing better. I was blessed, but many like me are not as fortunate. Sadly, mental health is simply not a priority at any level—local, state, or national. In this country, the communities most in need of mental health services are denied care because of systemic bias and indifference. Black and brown people are disproportionately affected by the woeful underfunding of vital mental health resources and dearth of services, rooted in the sordid legacy of white supremacy. It is then no surprise that people from disaffected communities are the least likely to seek or retain mental health services, even though African Americans are 20 percent more likely than the general population to experience serious mental health problems and more likely to be exposed to factors such as homelessness and violence that increase the risk for developing mental health conditions, according to the US Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. One in four Black Americans will experience a mental disorder at some point.

Sadly, mental health is simply not a priority at any level— local, state, or national. In this country, the communities most in need of mental health services are denied care because of systemic bias and indifference.

If people from the Black community would seek out treatment, they would learn that the human mind fundamentally rewires itself to cope after prolonged periods of stress. This can damage the brain, causing disturbing flashbacks, insomnia, emotional numbness, angry outbursts, and feelings of guilt or responsibility. These symptoms, when experienced without context or understanding, can leave us confused, angry, or withdrawn. Only by understanding the root cause of these symptoms can we begin the healing process. Dealing with these symptoms head on can be overwhelming, and many people choose to ignore the problem at all costs. I experienced the utter uselessness of the options presented to me while pursuing care within the American system, in which bureaucratic inefficiency and systemic bias appear to be the norm for my demographic (a plethora of studies affi rm this fact). Is it any wonder people are not fully invested in their recovery? The reality on the ground is that talking about mental health in the black and brown M ARCH 2020

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THE LIFE

Unmet Needs Adult blacks are more likely to experience serious psychological distress and feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than adult whites. Yet only 30 percent of these adults receive treatment, far less than the US average of 43 percent. In 2018, a Boston University School of Public Health study found that half of white college students with mental health problems had received treatment compared with only one quarter of black students. “There is enormous unmet need for mental health services in college student

populations writ large, and students of color represent a disparities population based on even greater unmet mental health needs,” states Sarah Lipson, the studyʼs lead author.

community is still taboo. That’s a shame. As black and brown people, we should embrace mental health. We need to check in with each other (friends, family, neighbors) because depression can materialize while incognito. The mental health care system needs more resources, and aggressive studies should be done to target weak points and correct systemic bias. This issue deserves to be front and center as we head into the 2020 election cycle.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erving Jean-Jacques is a Boston native and cannabis advocate. He disseminates information he hopes will lead to a new righteous reality.

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IF it's not NECANN, it's NOT the New England Cannabis Industry

6th Annual New England Cannabis Convention Hemp-Derived CBD for pain, inï¬&#x201A;ammation and stress

March 20-22, 2020 Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA

300+ Exhibitors | 100+ speakers | 10,000+ attendees

#NECANN20 HIGHLIGHTS: New England Cannabis Community Awards Show

Friday, March 20, 7pm Fund-raiser for NECANN Social Equity Scholarship

Nominations now open: bit.ly/NECannaNominations

Sunday, March 22 The NECANN Competition: recognizing the best local cannabis and ancillary products Entry & judging nominations: necanncomp.com

necann.com Serving the local Recreational, medical, and Hemp industries

BUSINESS | NETWORKING | EDUCATION

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www.LoftyCBD.com info@loftycbd.com

THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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

HOROSCOPE

MARCH HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you? TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

you are—and totally step JULY 23–AUG. 22 back from the people Listen to the compliwho are taking advanPeople are about to ment that presents ittage of your good nature. prove to you how much self to you as a critithey love you. March is cism; energies will make MAY 21–JUNE 20 when your gratitude toyou better through jealward people who are ousy and roadblocks. It It’s time to apologize for supporting you will make could be that you realize the things you have done all the difference. it’s time for a change. to hurt people. If your ego won’t let you actual- AUG. 23–SEPT. 22 MAR. 21–APR. 19 ly call them to apologize, write them a “spiritual” There are angels surThere is something to letter telling them you rounding you. Pennies celebrate that presents were unfair to them and and feathers in your path itself to you. To thank the that you are sorry. are likely. This is a month universe for this opporof being aware of how tunity or inspiration, do- JUNE 21–JULY 22 things are lining up for nate to an organization a you. Accept all invitations. few times this month. “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 APR. 20–MAY 20 The door to your future couldn’t open any wider. Coincidence will be your Do not try to impress If you want the job, you best friend this month. anyone who isn’t treating can have it. If you want It’s time to drop (old) you well. Please agree that relationship to go ideas that you can’t have with the vibration that to the next level, you what you want…you toyou are perfect the way can have it. tally can. Pay attention! FEB. 19–MAR. 20

PISCES

LEO

GEMINI

VIRGO

ARIES

CANCER

TAURUS

LIBRA

OCT. 23–NOV. 21

DEC. 22–JAN. 19

Practice saying nice things about people. Do not take on the bad karma right now of backstabbing those who truly do not deserve it. Ask yourself: “Am I basing my opinion on someone else’s agenda?”

When you focus on one thing at a time, you are a genius. Avoid multitasking this month. Better to spend the time to make sure it’s done right the first time.

SCORPIO

PISCES, ENERGIES WILL USE JEALOUSY AND ROADBLOCKS TO MAKE YOU BETTER THIS MONTH. IT COULD BE THAT IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE.

CAPRICORN

JAN. 20–FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

Embrace the high energy of spinning lots of You are the owner of this plates right now. You are lifetime and acting as the chef who has many though you do have the pots simmering, and it’s power to change things time to admit that you will make all the differlike it this way. Thrive by ence this month. You will making the magic hapget a sign that you are on pen with all the resourcthe right track. es available to you. NOV. 22–DEC. 21

SAGITTARIUS

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Size Matters

Tiny homes are an obvious solution to housing and climate issues. Why isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it easier to find places for them? TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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PHOTOS BY POVY KENDAL ATCHISON

hen I visited Jay Shafer’s meticulous American Gothic– style house in a sun-dappled Iowa City backyard in 1999—shortly after we launhed Natural Home magazine—the Dow had just surpassed 10,000, mortgage credit requirements were melting into oblivion, and America had a bad case of McMansion Mania. Shafer’s 130-square-foot home (yes, you read that right), built for $40,000, was a hard “no” to all that. It was also cozy and inviting, and Shafer described himself as a claustrophile (someone who loves closed-in spaces). Shafer won the Philosophy and Innovation Award in our Natural Home of the Year contest because his adorable house embodied everything the magazine stood for,

and he wasn’t afraid to say things. He said that we Americans like our homes like we like our food—big and cheap—and he was the first to figure out that putting a tiny house on wheels makes it an RV and therefore not subject to city and county minimum-size standards and codes. He wasn’t shy about his intention to make tiny homes a revolutionary alternative in a housing market headed for disaster. “I am certainly not proposing that everyone should live in a house as small as mine,” Shafer wrote in the letter accompanying his contest entry. “Such minimalism would be excessive for most people. What I am saying is that the scale of our homes should be as varied as the spatial needs of their inhabitants, and that it is those needs rather than government regulations and conspicuous consumption that should determine house size.” Shafer’s message was radical, and largely ignored, in the frenzy leading up to the 2008 crash. But his company, Tumbleweed Tiny Homes, built a following, and he built a name for himself as the godfather of a fledgling tiny house movement (one blogger called him “the George Washington of simple and sustainable living”). He wrote The Small House Book and was on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Then he lost the company in a business dispute and his house in a divorce, and he was homeless for a while, living in a pigpen inside a shed. Determined never to live that way again, Shafer designed a 50-square-foot home that cost $5,000 in Sebastopol, California. He gives master class workshops at tiny house festivals around the world (including the

Tiny House Festival Australia in Bendigo, Victoria, March 21–22). “The evolution of tiny houses has paralleled the digital revolution, since this whole tiny thing started at the turn of the century,” Shafer told foxnews.com in 2014. “Once it became possible to have a remote little phone instead of a landline and a wall-mounted flat screen instead of a 2-foot-by-1-foot chunk on the dresser, folks started seeing the potential for living in what basically amounts to a laptop with a roof.”

A Status Symbol for Humble Braggers Though 82 percent of renters say they would like to buy a home someday, according to Fannie LIVE TINY AND FREE Mae, homeownership is at its lowest point since 1965. Ordinary More than twice as many tiny homeowners—68 people can’t afford the Ameripercent compared with can Dream (median listing price: 29 percent of all US $310,000). In the Bay Area, home- homeowners—have no buyers paid twice their annual in- mortgage, and 78 percent their own home. come for a house in the 1960s; to- own SOURCE: thetinylife.com day, they shell out nine times their yearly salary. Only 13 percent of millennial renters in the United States will have enough cash to put 20 percent down on a house in the next five years, according to an Apartment List survey. Tiny homes are much cheaper, with prices ranging from $10,000 to more than $200,000 (averaging about $65,000), and operating and maintaining them costs a lot less. When the International Code Commission made changes to its residential code to facilitate tiny house construction in 2018, it reported lifetime conditioning costs as low as LEFT: The dining table in 7 percent of conventional homes. Jay Shaferʼs 130-squareThat reality is driving the spike foot home can be taken in interest in tiny homes, which down and stored in a closare getting a lot of attention as a et when not in use. M ARCH 2020

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAND ARK

Interior and exterior of the Land Arkʼs Drake model from Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes.

solution to the affordable housing and homeless crises, with the added bonus of being kinder to the planet than a traditional three-bedroom/two-bath. Whether they live in tiny homes for financial reasons or not, climate-aware homebuyers get a status symbol that flaunts their honorable choice to reduce their footprint and live with less—no easy thing to do, even in this post-Kondo age. It doesn’t hurt that tiny homes—generally defined as homes with less than 400 square feet—are now readily available in every style, from your basic shed to sleek Dwell-worthy models. You can buy plans and build a tiny house yourself or pick out one online and have it shipped to you.

“The scale of our homes should be as varied as the spatial needs of their inhabitants, and that it is those needs rather than government regulations and conspicuous consumption that should determine house size.” —Jay Shafer

You can even order one on Amazon. Used tiny homes, along with inspirational stories and information, can be found at sites like tinyhousefor.us, tinyhousetalk.com, and tinyhouselistings.com.

Tiny Home Nation: 10K Strong More than half of Americans would consider a tiny home, according to a National Association of Home Builders survey. Potential buyers and just-dreamers flock to check out micro-houses, “schoolies” (converted school buses), and vans at tiny home festivals like the Florida Suncoast Tiny Home Festival in St. Petersburg (March 28–29) and the People’s Tiny House Festival in Golden, Colorado (June 6–7). But the reality is that only about 10,000 people in North America—the lucky ones who have managed to find parking spots—actually live in tiny homes. Like anything that disrupts the norm in a conformist capitalist culture, building a tiny home in a world of ticky-tacky boxes is not easy. The good news is that times are changing, as municipalities

WORRIED ABOUT RESALE VALUE? Homes under 1,200 square feet appreciate at 7.5 percent annually, about twice the 3.8 percent appreciation average for 2,400-square-foot houses

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SOURCE: realtor.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN TINY HOMES

Interior and exterior of the Letʼs Get Stoked model from Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes

consider tiny home villages as a way to house the homeless and marginalized communities. Still, most states only allow tiny homes to be parked in rural areas (Massachusetts, California, Florida, and Oregon are somewhat more lenient). Because most zoning laws in the United States don’t have a classification for tiny houses, most owners have to follow Shafer’s lead and register them as RVs, trailers, or mobile homes. In most places, zoning ordinances won’t allow you to buy land, park your tiny home/RV, and live happily ever after. You either have to rely on the kindness of family and friends with backyards or pay a monthly park fee to rent a space in one of the tiny home villages cropping up across the country. Park Delta Bay, an RV resort in Isleton, California, now has a row reserved for tiny homes. At Village Farm, an RV resort that’s turning into a tiny-home community in Austin, Texas, residents pay about $600 to $700 a month to park and use the services.

Slowly, city and state governments are responding to homebuyers’ demands for tiny home opportunities beyond RV resorts. Portland, Oregon, (but of course) has relaxed its ordinances to allow for everything from tiny house communities to tiny house hotels. In Rockledge, Florida, citizens demanded zoning changes allowing for a pocket neighborhood with homes ranging from 150 to 700 square feet. A tiny home community for low-income residents is under way on Detroit’s west side, and Vail, Arizona, built two dozen 300- to 400-square-foot houses for schoolteachers. Advocacy groups have been paving the way for tiny homes since Shafer and a few friends founded the Small Home Society in 2002, and they’re seeing a resurgence. In 2017, a group of University of California-Berkeley students launched the Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY) project to promote research and development and raise awareness of tiny house communities. Operation

Tiny Home is a national nonprofit that helps people “maintain a life of dignity” through high-quality tiny housing and empowerment training programs. TRY TINY In Canada, activists calling them- Think you might love a selves Tiny House Warriors are tak- tiny house? airbnb.com, vrbo.com, glampinghub. ing the revolution to the next level, com, and getaway.com all placing “resistance-homes-onhave tiny home listings to sample the lifestyle. wheels” along the pathway of the proposed Trans Mountain Pipeline. “We are asserting our inherent, God-given right to our lands,” says Kanahus Manuel, a leader of Tiny House Warrior. “We’re defending what’s ours, and tiny homes are how we’re doing it.” M ARCH 2020

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

In a New TEXT LELAND RUCKER

DIMENSION 30 BOSTO N

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GET YOUR OWN

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

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF POPOSITION PRESS

ollaboration is a wonderful thing. When my friend Rosston Meyer told me a few years ago that he was planning a pop-up cannabis book, I thought it sounded like a great idea. I knew Meyer ran an independent publishing house designing popup books in collaboration with artists. Meyer is a designer with a passion for art and pop culture, so I imagined his books were a modern upgrade of the old-school pop-up books I played with as a child—3-D elements and foldouts, tabs to pull and wheels to spin— but with a modern aesthetic that appeals to adults. “A pop-up on pot would be cool to flip through and play with,” I remember thinking. “I hope he does it.” A few years later, Meyer came around to show me a physical mock-up of his pot-themed popup, which he’d titled Dimensional Cannabis. What he showed me was a modern art form I wasn’t aware existed. Yes, the book featured 3-D elements and foldouts, with tabs to pull and wheels to spin, but what I had pictured was similar only in concept. These were intricate and elaborate kinetic paper sculptures that painted a picture and brought it to life. I was blown away. So, when he asked if I’d be interested in writing the words to go on the pages before me, I signed on immediately. Altogether, Dimensional Cannabis took more than three years to complete, with a total of nine people contributing to the final product published by Poposition Press, Meyer’s independent publishing house. A small press, Poposition designs, publishes,

and distributes limited-edition pop-up books that feature artists or subjects that Meyer finds of deep personal interest. He got started in the genre in 2013, when he started working on a collaboration with Jim Mahfood, a comic book creator known as Food One. The resulting Pop-Up Funk features Mahfood’s diverse designs transformed into interactive three-dimensional pop-ups. The limited-edition run of 100 copies were all constructed by hand. Since then, Poposition has worked with a number of contemporary artists to publish titles like Triad by cute-culture artist Junko Mizuno and Necronomicon by macabre master Skinner. Meyer has been fascinated by pop-up books since he was a kid, and in 2013, he began concentrating on paper engineering and book production. “After making a couple books focused on just artists, I thought that creating a popup book about cannabis would be a good idea,” he says. “There’s nothing else like it in the market, and there’s an audience for adultthemed pop-up books.” For Dimensional Cannabis, Meyer collaborated with Mike Giant, a renowned American illustrator, graffiti writer, tattooer, and artist. Giant’s medium of choice is a Sharpie, and Giant’s detailed line work is instantly recognizable. An avid proponent of cannabis, Giant illustrated the entire Dimensional Cannabis book. Giant and Meyer met at a weekly open studio Giant hosted in Boulder. “When the idea of doing a pop-up book about cannabis came up, he asked if I would illustrate it,” Giant says. “I’ve been an

advocate for cannabis use for decades, so it didn’t take long for me to agree to work on the project.” Meyer began by sending Giant reference materials to visualize. “I’d get it drawn out, hand it off, and get some more stuff to illustrate,” Giant says. “He’d send me previews of the finished pages as we went. It was really cool to see my line drawings colored and cut to shape. That process went on for months and months until everything for the book was accounted for.” The process of making pop-up books is called “paper engineering.” I love obsessives, and the engineers who put this book together, make no mistake, are the ones who spend endless hours figuring out the tiniest details of the folds and materials necessary so that water pipe emerges every time you open the paraphernalia page. “David Carter and I started talking about the idea a couple years prior to actually starting on the book,” Meyer says. “The initial concepts for each spread were figured out, and a different paper-engineer peer was asked to design each spread so that the book had variation throughout.” Dimensional Cannabis is divided into six pages, or spreads, covering the cannabis plant’s biology, medical properties, cultivation, history, and influence on popular culture. The paraphernalia page features many items we associate with cannabis consumption over the years in America, from rolling papers and pipes to vaporizers, dabs, and concentrates—and that foot-long bong that miraculously appears as you turn the page. One spread opens to the full plant, with information on its

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

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Left: The paraphernalia spread shows the many ways people consume cannabis, and includes many items, including a clear, acetate bong, rolling papers, and a vaporizer. It was produced by Ray Marshall, who, Meyer says, “basically knocked it out of the park on his first version.” Below: Well-known illustrator Mike Giant provided the cover, with Kevin Steele providing the coloring for the bookʼs six pop-up spreads

unique and fascinating properties. Another opens to a colorful, meditating figure with text about the healing properties of cannabis. One page is dedicated to its cultivation possibilities, basic genetics, and the differences between indoor and outdoor growing. The history spread takes us back to the beginnings of the curious and long-standing connection between humans and cannabis. Engineer Simon Arizpe had worked with Meyer before and jumped at the chance to work on that one. “I wanted it to be Eurasian-centric as the viewer opens the page, showing the early uses

of cannabis in ancient Vietnam and China,” Arizpe says. “As the viewer engages with the pop-up, cannabis’s use in the new world spreads across the page,” he adds. “We decided [to focus] on moments in time that were either politically relevant, like weed legalization, or culturally significant, like Reefer Madness.” Arizpe feels like the entire project is an example of what can be done working with talented people outside the traditional publishing engine. “Rosston came up with an idea that has a big following and made it happen,” he says. “It is pretty exciting when people can do that out of nothing.” M ARCH 2020

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

engineers work on each spread made this a real collaboration,” he says. “There have only been a couple pop-up books produced with a roster of engineers. Dimensional Cannabis is for cannabis lovers and pop-up book collectors alike.”

POP-UPGRADE If the book alone isnʼt enough to decorate your coffee table, Poposition Press offers two more ordering tiers, complete with extra merch to maximize your enjoyment. The Collectorʼs Edition ($240) includes an enhanced pop-up book with gold-foil case wrap, a foil-stamped slipcase, The Good Stuff enamel pin, and a Hemp art print on hemp paper. The Connoisseur Edition ($420) comes with a wooden laser-etched slipcover, two sets of enamel pins, a Dope art print, and a Gramps art print, both on hemp paper.

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

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MONTREAL

Tourism info can be found at mtl.org, go-montreal.com, and quebecoriginal.com

This cosmopolitan city is an easy five-hour drive from Boston.

Ground-Trip Ticket Three cannabis-friendly getaways within driving distance of Boston

The worst of winter is over. It’s almost time to pull your shorts and sundresses out of storage (fingers crossed they still fit) and begin thinking about long lazy days at the beach, fresh summer breezes, and sipping sangria with friends. It’s a good idea to start planning now. In the Northeast, the summer travel season is short and popular destinations book up quickly. To get 36 BOSTO N

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some ideas flowing, we’ve done a bit of the work for you. These three fabulous getaways are an easy drive from Boston and—bonus!—also have cannabis-friendly laws. Montreal If you have your heart set on a cosmopolitan getaway, a trip to Montreal, located in the Canadian province of Quebec, is more than worth the five-

hour drive from Boston. (You will need a passport.) The second-largest city in Canada after Toronto, Montreal has a distinctive Old World feel thanks to its historic seventeenthand eighteenth-century architecture and numerous European-style bistros and cafés. The city is home to two world-class art museums, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Musée d’art contemporain de Montre-

al (MAC). You can shop for the latest fashions on Saint Catherine Street before they hit US retail racks (the exchange rate is good right now) or spend an afternoon wandering the Montreal Botanical Garden. Hike up to Belvedere Camillien-Houde, Mont Royal’s observation area, and sip an espresso while taking in spectacular views of the city and surrounding mountains. No matter what you

PHOTO VIA ADOBE STOCK

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

PROVINCETOWN

Tourism info can be found at ptownchamber.com, ptownevents.com, and ptowntourism.com

cafés) and watch the people pass by as you enjoy a performance by one the neighborhood’s talented street musicians. The Old City gets crowded on weekends, so it’s better to visit during the week if you can. It’s not car-friendly, so take the subway instead. Other places worth seeing include the bohemian Quartier Latin, Plateau, and Mile End neighborhoods. Home to the city’s student and Jewish populations, these areas are nearly tourist free and full of art galleries, funky

shops, beautiful parks, and excellent, affordable restaurants and cafés.

haven for artists, writers, and other creative people since 1899, when the Cape Cod School of Provincetown Art was founded there. Located at the tip of Historically left leaning Cape Cod, Provincetown and tolerant, the city was is where the Pilgrims renowned as a sancfirst landed in the New tuary for gay, lesbian, World on November 11, and transgender people 1620. The quaint and several decades before historic seaside city has American mainstream been welcoming newsociety came to regard comers ever since. them as equals. Since the Home to America’s 19th century, Provinceoldest active art colony, town has also been home Provincetown’s remote to a large Portuguese location, stunning population, mostly from panoramas, and legendthe Azores and Cape ary light have made it a Verde. The no-nonsense

PHOTO CREDITS (CLOCKWISE): MARK MARTINS / MADELAINE HAMILTON / MADELAINE HAMILTON / ADOBE STOCK

decide to do, all visitors to Montreal should see the Old Port. Located on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, it is the oldest part of the city, first settled by Europeans in the 17th century. With its historic Old World– style buildings, romantic French cafés, and massive neo-gothic Notre-Dame Basilica, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Paris as you stroll along the cobblestone streets. Enjoy a coffee or glass of wine at one of the Old Port’s terrasses (what Montrealers call outdoor

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THE SCENE

THE BERKSHIRES

Tourism info can be found at berkshires.org, berkshires.com, and lenox.org.

work ethic made the city Cape Cod’s primary commercial fishery. All these influences combined give Provincetown a rich and unique culture—one that can be tasted in the city’s restaurants and Portuguese bakeries, experienced in its art galleries, and felt as you stroll along the city’s narrow, flower-lined streets, most of them built long before America became an independent nation. Visitors to Provincetown can enjoy some of New England’s most beautiful and pristine beaches. Other things to do run the gamut from whale watches and sunset cruises to browsing the city’s eclectic collection of boutiques; viewing birds, seals, and other wildlife at Cape Cod National Seashore’s Province Lands; and exploring

phony Orchestra, one of the area’s biggest draws. Visitors can pack a picnic and enjoy an evening or afternoon concert on Tanglewood’s expansive lawn or pay a bit extra for seats closer to the stage. Other Berkshires cultural attractions include the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, home to the world’s largest collection of the illustrator’s iconic paintings. The Berkshires The Mount, author Edith Roughly encompassing Wharton’s expansive the region of Massachusetts west of the ConLenox estate, offers house and garden tours. Hancock necticut River, bordering Shaker Village in Pittsfield, New York, Vermont, a living history museum and Connecticut, the offering glimpses of the inBerkshires’ rolling green fluential religious commumountains, wellness retreat centers, and lively nity’s daily life, is home to hiking trails (it even has its arts and culture scene have made them a popular own mountain), a scratch vacation destination since café, and the area’s oldest working farm. the 19th century. Located in Lenox, TanIf you’ve been thinking glewood is the summer about a wellness retreat, home of the Boston Sym- Canyon Ranch in Lenox the city and surrounding area on foot or by bicycle. A wide variety of accommodations including inns, hotels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds can be found in Provincetown, and it’s a mere three-hour drive from Boston or a onehour ride on the Provincetown Ferry (available May through September).

or Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, might have what you’re looking for. Canyon Ranch, which also has locations in Arizona, California, and Nevada, is surrounded by mountains and offers a nearly endless roster of nutrition and exercise classes, guide-led sports and activities, and programs for bolstering spiritual wellness and life management skills. The elegant spa offers dozens of skincare treatments and massages. Many wealthy industrialists from New York City and Boston summered in the Berkshires during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and their enormous “summer cottages” have been converted into lovely inns and guest houses. The area also offers accommodations at larger hotels and vacation rental properties. M ARCH 2020

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emilie-Noelle Provost is a history geek, hiker, traveler, and the author of the middle-grade novel The Blue Bottle (North Country Press, 2018). See what sheʼs up to at emilienoelleprovost.com.

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S THE SCENE

HIGH SOCIETY

Shine On Hundreds of guests swarmed Boston Center for the Artsʼ iconic Cyclorama for Shimmer, an event that raised $15,000 to support BCA artistsʼ year-round artist residency programs in visual arts, theatre, music, dance, and interdisciplinary art. Curated by Ethan Vogt, Shimmer took inspiration from early 2000s fashion and club culture remixed by over a dozen artists and performers including Accumulation Dance, Eleanor Arbor, The Davis Sisters, Fumesco, Layor Guevara, Masha Keryan, Tobi (a.k.a. That Photo Kid), Heleena Norvette, Pink Griffins, Rixy, S. De Silva, OJ Slaughter, Space Us, Rosa Weinberg, and J Michael Winward.

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SHIMMER WHERE: CYCLORAMA AT BCA WHEN: JAN. 23 PHOTOS: TOBI MAKINDE (AKA THAT PHOTO KID), MELISSA BLACKALL, OJ SLAUGHTER

THE SCENE

LEFT: FOLK FESTIVAL BELOW: CICLISMO CLASSICO

CA L E N DA R

Convention to hear from local cannabis industry leaders and discover brands and organizations advocating for more access.

Greatest Party on Earth Mar. 21 Artists for Humanity Epicenter, Boston greatestpartyonearth.com

On the Calendar Boston is bursting with creativity this spring.

Join the Artists for Humanity crew for dinner, dancing, and artistic observation.

Boston Design Week

TEXT CAITLIN MOAKLEY

Whether you’re looking for a quiet afternoon at the museum or a punk-fueled Saint Patrick’s Day—Darkbuster in the house!—the Boston area has it all. And Restaurant Week is back. Lace up your sneakers, grab your friends, leash up your dog, buy tickets, make reservations, and get out there.

Mar. 25–April 5 Various locations, Greater Boston bostondesignweek.com

Amazing Archaeology Fair Chinese New Restaurant Year Celebration Week/Dine Out Mar. 1 Boston Winthrop Square, Cambridge harvardsquare.com

Mar. 1–6, 8–13 Various locations, Boston bostonusa.com

Dropkick Murphys and Darkbuster Mar. 17 House of Blues, Boston houseofblues.com

NECANN Mar. 20–22 Hynes Convention Center, Boston necann.com

Mar. 29 Peabody Museum and the Harvard Semitic Museum, Cambridge peabody.harvard.edu

Come to the New England Cannabis

International Folk Taste your way Two local bands Music Festival through Boston with take the stage for Mar. 3 Berklee Performing Arts Center, Boston berklee.edu

over 100 restaurants an epic St. Patrick’s offering fixed menus. Day celebration.

Mar. 6 South End, Boston sowaartists.com

Seaport World Trade Center, Boston bostonflowershow.com

Boston Flower Ciclismo Classico and Garden Show Bike Travel Film Festival SoWa First Friday Mar. 11–15 Mar. 19 Regent Theater, Arlington ciclismoclassico.com

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D G R E E N G O D D E S S S U P P LY

Category: Personal Homegrown Biochamber Author: Eric Robichaud, CEO Green Goddess Supply produces and sells smoking accessories (pipes, dugouts, premium grinders, rolling trays, storage boxes, sifter boxes, and more) direct to consumers through its website and through wholesale channels to brick-andmortar storefronts and distributors. Green Goddess Supply is a privately held company headquartered in Hopedale, Massachusetts, with a satellite office in California.

Networking in the Cannabis Industry CannaNetworking aims to help Massachusetts become the new Colorado.

ince cannabis was legalized in Massachusetts, industry growth has been picking up steam and is starting to reach critical mass. I don’t just mean pot sales. Yes, more and more dispensaries are opening each month, and recreational sales are hitting new records. But I’m talking about the industry itself.

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New dispensaries create sales jobs and the need for infrastructure. As it scales up to hundreds or even thousands of dispensary employees in the state, more sales and customer service training experts, security consultants, breeders and botanical consultants, equipment manufacturers, distributors, and ancillary products and services will be needed. We will

need banks and insurance agencies, testing labs, magazines, and trade shows—as well as architects and contractors to build out facilities and farmers to grow the product. I come from a tech industry background, and I see more innovation in this industry than I’ve seen since the very early days of the internet—so much so, in fact, that I’ve started

A DV I S O R Y B OA R D G R E E N G O D D E S S S U P P LY

what I believe to be the state’s first professional cannabis industry-centric business networking group, Metro-west CannaNetworking. When people hear “networking,” it immediately (and incorrectly) conjures up images of chamber of commerce after-hours meetups, people standing around with drinks, chatting, and getting to know one another. That is absolutely not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a solid group of about 30 people who get together every week to exchange actionable leads and pass referrals. Group members get to know others in the group very well and, by extension, become part of a 30-person virtual sales force for one another. Every Tuesday at lunchtime near my office in Hopedale, Massachu-

setts, we bring together a group of professionals who help one another power their respective businesses forward. Each member is noncompetitive and has a nexus to the cannabis industry. We have someone who can provide merchant processing (credit card processing for CBD sales is a huge industry-wide issue), an insurance agency that works with cannabis businesses, a payroll company that processes payroll for cannabis businesses (ADP, Paychex, and most others won’t), a CPA who understands cannabis tax issues, a financial planner, an attorney, a solar provider (to lower electricity costs), various industry consultants, and CBD producers. We’ve had guest visits from lab technicians, testing labs, hydro stores, and growers/farmers.

When I say “networking,” I’m talking about a solid group of about 30 people who get together every week to exchange actionable leads and pass referrals. Group members get to know others in the group very well and, by extension, become part of a 30-person virtual sales force for one another. M ARCH 2020

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D G R E E N G O D D E S S S U P P LY

All are trusted professionals vetted by the group. Referrals started flying the first week. As people introduced themselves, they also talked about challenges they’re facing or problems they’re trying to solve. On the spot, we started hearing, “Oh, you provide XYZ? I have a client looking for that.” And so it went. Because everyone in the group works within or offers services to the industry, everyone’s contact is potentially everyone else’s contact. There is huge synergy in the group. Each week, members introduce themselves and their services. Many of us offer an array of products and services, so this format al-

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I’m probably biased, but I believe Massachusetts is poised to become the new Colorado. Boston will be the new Denver.

lows members to eventually cover everything. One week, I’ll talk about our accessories (pipes, grinders, kief sifter boxes, bamboo rolling trays, etc.) and solicit connections with smoke shops and dispensaries. Another week, I’ll talk about our new discreet home-grow system and solicit connections to hydro stores. And yet another week, I might focus on a specific product in our line and show off samples, and so forth. Over time, we all get to know one another, personally and professionally, so the referrals become much less like work and more like second nature. It’s amazingly powerful, and I encourage people to start similar groups in their own corners of the state.

The Sensi Advisory Board comprises select industry leaders in a variety of fields, from education to cultivation. They are invited to share specialized insight in this dedicated section. For a full list of board members, see page 8.

another legal state. With high population density, Boston is the nexus to the high-tech industry. It generally has higher levels of education and wealth, and a slew of well-respected colleges and centers of innovation (MIT, Harvard, BU, Northeastern, etc.). Massachusetts has all the ingredients to feed this budding innovation. I see an explosion in the industry ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to the ride. For more information, visit greengoddesssupply.com.

I believe Massachusetts is poised to become the new Colorado. Boston will be the new Denver. People toss me an odd look when I say that, but I’ll explain. When you think about cannabis, what cities or states come to mind? Of course, everyone thinks California–birthplace of the industry and the infamous Emerald Triangle–and rightfully so. Then they think Colorado, because it was the first state to go full rec. The funny thing is that there are now 10 adult-use legal states and 36 with at least some level of medicinal sales, but we don’t immediately think of Washington and Oregon. We think of California and Colorado. I’m probably biased, but I don’t think Massachusetts will be just

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CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

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

Old-School Agriculture Meets Cannabis Complexity This agricultural supply business does more than just sell grow products to new cannabis farmers.

im Shaw, COO of the multi-state cannabis business consultancy and operator MariMed Inc. since 2014, and a former Sprint/ Nextel engineer, got involved with the cannabis industry in 2010 when he started up Green Matters, a gardening supply store with two brick-and-mortar locations in Massachusetts. In 2014, Shaw stepped back from Green Matters to concentrate on MariMed, building and designing cultivation facilities, extraction labs, and dispensaries and consulting with investors and growing operations across the country,

Lilli Shaw says the company works under a philosophy that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “We try to be open-minded to new products coming in the door and give them their fair shot, especially if there is some new innovation behind it. One focus is to not over-complicate the growing process,” she says. Some of the obstacles in various states that have legalized cannabis— which Lilli says are positive moves— are about getting stricter about testing for contaminants and heavy metals. “This is where the cream rises to the top,” she says. “It’s about finding the cleanest, most effective nutrients, soil, and process so that a grower doesn’t have an issue passing its compliance test. There is nothing like going through a three-month process growing a plant, then having to destroy it due to some contaminants.” She says the volume of customers has gone up, and, at the same time, it is seeing a new breed of customer. One of the more interesting things “This is she has seen is that growing cannabis not rocket has intrigued a lot of people who science. would not have gone in that direction Agriculture with their career. “The satisfaction has been of starting something from a seed or going on clone and ending up with a harvest has turned people who are non-grow- since the ers into traditional farmers,” she beginning says. “It’s been a real positive in that of time.” a younger generation that thinks tomatoes come from grocery stores, —Tim Shaw, COO of who didn’t really have that mentality Green Matters that someone’s hands grew this, are getting involved in growing their own garden. That is a cool transformation.”

while essentially handing over the keys to Green Matters to his wife, Lilli. Since then, the agriculture supply business has continued to succeed— selling everything from hydroponics gear to nutrients, all backed by detailed online and in-store education. “As far as expanding with new brands and products, we are always looking for the next greatest thing,” Shaw says. “This is not rocket science. Agriculture has been going on since the beginning of time. We tend to find trusted brands and hone in on them Green Matters and teach best practices to achieve Agricultural Supply the highest quality.” greenmattersonline.com

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

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

Woods jumped in. She knew she would be thrown right into the middle of an actual business case study in a brand-new industry trying to find its footing. “And I haven’t looked back since,” she says. “I continue to grow more in this space.” MJBizDaily remains her main cannabis client. Over the last few years, Woods has worked with other cannabis clients, including Ladyjane Branding, a company that provides unique archetype branding for cannabis entrepreneurs; Haleigh’s Hope, a USDA-certified organic CBD oils maker; and Cannabiz Media, which provides CRM and business development tools for cannabis companies. Tess Woods PR also has non-cannabis clients. “I still have a foot in my other non-cannabis world of business publishing,” she says. “I am about 60/40 cannabis vs. non-cannabis, and the seesaw keeps teetering higher to the cannabis side.” Woods prefers to be behind the scenes, promoting her clients rather than “I continue to grow herself. “Promoting myself is really out of my comfort zone. Promoting clients is more in the nature of the job I do,” she says. this space.” The industry is ever-changing and orking media in the leaders, and cannabis entrepreneurs. growing, Woods says. Perceptions —Tess Woods, Owner cannabis business Her job is to polish positive perceptions, about the cannabis business have changed over the last few years, when has been a roller eliminate doubts, answer questions, everyone working in the industry would coaster ride for any and bring in business for her clients. hear jokes related to a stoner mentality, journalist or press person—generally in When Woods started her public and every headline contained a bad pun. a good way. Even a good-news write-up relations career in the mid-1990s, it was about shaking up state economies as a focused on business publishing and media “I was having conversations daily during new cash crop comes in with the stigrelations. Then one day in 2015, she was 2015 that this business is not what you ma of being about an illegal drug that, introduced to a business publication dethink it is. The stereotypes are diminishoddly, is one of the biggest industries voted to the cannabis industry, Marijuana ing. True professional business reporters on the planet today. Business Daily, that was looking for the and investors are not giggling anymore.” That’s where explainer, promoter, kind of help she could offer. “Nobody and storyteller Tess Woods comes in. had cannabis-specific media relations Woods is the owner of Tess Woods experience back then,” Woods says. “But Public Relations, a full-service consult- MJBizDaily wasn’t looking for expertise Tess Woods Public Relations ing firm specializing in media relations in cannabis per se, but expertise and Public Relations for businesses, publishers, thought experience in business publishing.” tesswoodspr.com

Strategically Directing the Spotlight

A savvy PR pro puts clients on a pathway to success in a constantly changing, misunderstood, and sometimes turbulent business.

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S E N S IM AG.CO M

THE END

Take a Walk

This month, stroll the Charles River Esplanade with people who know its history and are working for its future.

THIS PRIZE HAS TEETH The Esplanade was voted the landmark most worth saving in a contest sponsored by (bizarrely) the American Association of Endodontists. “Natural landmarks are truly worth saving, preserving, and revering, just like your natural teeth,” according to the dental specialistsʼ press release announcing the $20,000 award.

50 BOSTO N

In 1910, the Charles River basin was dammed, and what had been smelly tidal mud flats became a wide river basin, begging Bostonians to get out and play. In the 1930s, landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff transformed and expanded the narrow strip of parkland along the river’s south bank with gardens and groves of Norway maples (since replaced in some places with honey locusts); canoe

M A RCH 2020

ways and docks; plazas, promenades, paths, and playgrounds. Shurcliff designed the Boat Haven and the Music Oval. The Hatch Shell was built in 1941. In the 1950s, he redesigned and added lagoons and islands to accommodate for and replace the land that was sucked up by Storrow Drive. In July, the three-mile-long, 64acre Esplanade (esplanade.org) is teaming with tourists and locals.

In March, it’s calmer, peaceful. On March 11, you can see for yourself while learning the Esplanade’s history during a walk with Esplanade Association experts from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The walk is free with a $10 suggested donation that goes toward revitalizing, enhancing, and maintaining the Esplanade. That feels pretty good. And we can’t make promises, but you could see a bald eagle.

PHOTO BY SEBASTIAN GONZALEZ QUINTERO

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

e r a u q S l a tr n e C IT’S GREAT TO BE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

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MURAL BY FELIPE ORTIZ Please Consume Responsibly. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.