Sensi Magazine - Las Vegas (March 2020)

POT’S FIRST POP-UP BOOK TINY HOUSES The big deal I L A S V EG A S M A R C H 2020

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LAS VEGAS SENSI MAGAZINE MARCH 2020

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F E AT U R E S

24

Kick ’Em with Kindness

30

In a New Dimension

Fourteen-year-old Kyler Nipper demonstrates action and compassion with Kylerʼs Kicks.

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

D E PA R T M E N T S

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

to keep you in the loop MOVE OVER, MIMOSA The new brunch staple is Sangria.

DIAMOND-TOUGH Screen protectors that actually work EDUCATION Giving local kids a solid foundation SPRINGTIME LOVE New vape pens to arouse

14 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness SIZE MATTERS The wins and woes of tiny houses HEALTH Teaching families during Nutrition Month COCKTAIL St. Patrick’s Party Punch HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

36 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town DOWN-HOME BBQ Vegas’s very own slice of Texas ART Local galleries bloom in malls.

HIGH SOCIETY Recapping the Strat Hotel Transformation and the exclusive RVD CBD Launch Party.

CALENDAR Spring into action with these events and attractions.

50 THE END

Some things never change. One of those things is the Little Church of the West.

ON THE COVER Kyler Nipper transforms his own adversity into opportunities to be well—for himself and others.

PHOTO BY DANIELLE EUGENIA PHOTOGRAPHY

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

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

S

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 Debbie Hall Managing Editor debbie.hall@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 Reggie Burton, 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 Abi Wright Publisher abi.wright@sensimag.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

Spring forward

from March 2018, when I became a part of Sensi magazine with the debut of its Las Vegas edition. It has been quite the roller coaster ride since, with changes, growth, and expansion.

New beginnings can be seen all around in spring, as the flowers bloom in the desert, peeking out of red clay and rocky terrains.

The sun shines brightly during the day as temps creep up to the 70s. Springtime means a chance to sit by a heated pool, dine alfresco, and enjoy perfect weather.

As politics heat up with the election year looming and disruptions in Washington, DC, voices of dissent and diversity are louder than ever. The legalization of cannabis continues across the country, with communities rallying for decimalization and acceptance. People are standing up for their rights with a movement that is growing stronger every day.

While it is easy to become discouraged, especially if you follow the news, the teenagers who are making a difference inspire me.

Spring is the time of birth, and for me (and the readers), getting to know the youth who are following their dreams and making a significant impact on southern Nevada gives me hope.

That is what spring is all about. Seeds are planted to grow into crops, and homes are deep-cleaned to discard what is not needed.

Now is the time to reject outdated attitudes and laws.

Sensi reaches out with a collective goal to be part of creating a better southern Nevada to live, play, and work. We look forward to continuing our relationship with you, our readers.

This is what spring is all about. Seeds are planted to grow into crops; homes are cleaned to discard what is not needed. Now is the time to reject outdated attitudes and laws.

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

Yours in the new normal,

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

Debbie Hall debbie.hall@sensimag.com

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

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Blue skies, sunny days, and warm temps create the perfect time to enjoy brunch, especially alfresco. Chef James Trees added a brunch menu at Ada’s with indoor and patio dining. For delicious breakfast and lunch, and a different twist on a traditional item, try the duck confit Benedict. The Dutch Baby pancake brings sweetness to a whole new level. Then there’s the killer croque-madame, a fried or grilled ham Sangria enhances the flavor of and cheese sandwich topped with an egg. Favorites such as pastas, pizzas, and any brunch. sandwiches can also be ordered.

Complete the meal with such cockSpice up any brunch with a red or white tails as bottomless mimosas and rosé sangria infused with favorite fruits. A favorite drink in Spain, sangria is a blend all day, plus specialty Bloody Marys, gin cocktails, and original brunch of red wine, fruit, and spices, served in cocktails. For java lovers, a variety a chilled pitcher. Over time, everyone of Vesta coffee drinks add a caffeine around the world adopted the drink and added their own touches to invigorate the buzz. All you need to bring is a love of great dining. concoction, including such nuances as Ada’s / 410 S. Rampart Blvd. / adaslv.com using white wine and seasonal fruits.

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PHOTOS (ABOVE): COURTESY OF CONSTELLATION SPIRITS CATERING, (BOTTOM): BY SHELLEY STEPANEK

Perfect Touch

THAT’S AMORE! Ada’s complements brunch with an Italian touch.

CONTRIBUTOR

Debbie Hall

BY THE NUMBERS

3,400 TRIPS

Colors of a Feast

FOOD PHOTOS: COURTESY OF VEGENATIONLV.COM, PRODUCT PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DIAMOND DOG AND DOSIST

Plant-based dishes of VegeNation transform brunch.

A plant-based menu and brunch is no longer a dichotomy thanks to VegeNationʼs new brunch. The community-based restaurant serves fresh plant-based comfort food sourced from small businesses, local gardens, and freight farms. Favorites such as chicken ʼnʼ waffles (the chicken is made from plants), biscuits and gravy, or tempura avocado tacos tempt any palate. The restoʼs special dish is the Food Not Bombs Bowl, made with house-spiced tofu, black bean chili, and breakfast potatoes and topped with cheese, avocado, and chipotle cream.

Add coffee, Bloody Marys, mimosas, or smoothies; and feel good about eating such a hearty meal. Healthy and tasty food, positive vibes and excellent service are unique ingredients added to every dish.

VegeNation / Locations in Downtown Las Vegas and Henderson vegenationlv.com

The number of flights per week in and out of McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas

75

THESPIANS The number of actors who have portrayed the fictional character Sherlock Holmes on television and in films

53 YEARS

Length of time since the first successful heart transplant was performed (1967)

3,154 MILES

The distance between the closest US state (Maine) to Africa

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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With blooming flowers and warmer weather, many hearts turn to romance in the spring.

For a little added oomph, Dosistʼs Passion and Arouse vape pens promote well-being, including spiritually, emotionally, and physically. For arousal, the pen is 10:1 THC-to-CBD ratio and is designed to relax body and mind with a precise terpene blend featuring linalool and farnesene to help increase excitement naturally. The passion pen delivers an 11:1 THC-to-CBD ratio with myrcene blended with limonene to produce a euphoric feeling designed to increase sensuality and concentration.

Dosist / 50 dose pen, $40 / 200 dose pen, $100 / dosist.com

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: What do you want to do to move forward in the spring?

MARTINE JORDAN

ELTA RAHIM

SHERIAL BRATCHER-DOBESH DAWNYE MOORE

JULIE LINDSTROM

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

Business development Henderson

I start every spring by moving the clock forward. Hopefully, in the future, we can stop this crazy spring ritual and stop losing sleep.

Business owner Las Vegas

I want to continue to educate people about cryptocurrency and why Bitcoin can and is changing the world.

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Business owner Las Vegas

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I am excited and blessed to continue my business in health and wellness focusing on women.

I worked on my own health and now want help others achieve their goals in 2020.

I have started to eat healthy, and now I am loving fruits and vegetables. The weather is so beautiful that I want to start to exercise too.

There is also my career to expand as well.

___________________

Business owner Las Vegas

I want to mentor others to be stronger in mind and body, and to help women see that age is just a number. Menopause is not the end of the world. All women are beautiful.

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 Mon-

PHOTO BY BRINA-BLUM

stera 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.

“No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.”

—Sheryl Crow, singer and songwriter

LOCAL BUSINESS

CHILD-CENTERED

Future Makers influences by offering conscious education.

Melissa Flaxman, a longtime educator with the school district, wanted to change the landscape of teaching very young children, including infants.

She founded Future Makers, a community-based program focused on kids learning uniquely. Workshops, classes, and events featuring art, wellness, STEAM, and young entrepreneurs programming are offered for children of all ages.

The fourth-generation Nevadan and mother pursued a master’s degree in special education and psychology. During her career as a special education teacher, Flaxman discovered that all students grow and thrive through creativity and hands-on experience. However, the school system didn’t allow enough time to implement these crucial endeavors. So, she decided to develop her own business.

The early education program, Little Makers, engages children from under one years old to age five with play-based and child-centered music, sensory, art, and reading learning experiences. Parents also participate with their children in this program. The after-school Young Entrepreneurs Program targets school-age children up to 16.

As for her location, “I chose Fergusons Downtown because the arts and creativity surround it,” she says. “Our mission is to equalize access to engaging education. I taught school in downtown Las Vegas, and I realized many of the students could not take advantage of programs. I want to be in the heart of the city for all students to be able to attend.”

Her business model is: for every family that pays to attend a program, another family in need will be offered the same opportunity to participate free of charge.

Future Makers / Fergusons Downtown / 1028 Fremont St. / futuremakerslv.com

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Tiny homes are an obvious solution to housing and climate issues. Why isn’t it easier to find places for them?

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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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

PHOTOS BY POVY KENDAL ATCHISON

Size Matters

I visited Jay Shafer’s meticulous American Gothic–style house in a sun-dappled Iowa City backyard shortly after we launched Natural Home magazine in 1999. The Dow had just surpassed 10,000, mortgage credit requirements were melting into oblivion, and America had a bad case

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).

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 7 percent of conventional homes.

That reality is driving the spike in interest in tiny homes, which are getting a lot of attention as a solution to the affordable housing and homeless crises, with the added bonus of being A Status Symbol for kinder to the planet than Humble Braggers a traditional three-bedThough 82 percent of room/two-bath. Whether renters say they would like to buy a home some- they live in tiny homes for financial reasons day, according to Fannie or not, climate-aware Mae, homeownership is homebuyers get a status at its lowest point since symbol that flaunts their 1965. Ordinary people can’t afford the American honorable choice to reduce their footprint and Dream (median listing live with less—no easy price: $310,000). In the thing to do, even in this Bay Area, homebuyers post-Kondo age. paid twice their annual It doesn’t hurt that tiny income for a house in the homes—generally defined 1960s; today, they shell out nine times their year- as homes with less than ly salary. Only 13 percent 400 square feet—are now readily available in every of millennial renters in style, from your basic the United States will shed to sleek Dwell-worhave enough cash to put thy models. You can buy 20 percent down on a plans and build a tiny house in the next five house yourself or pick out years, according to an one online and have it Apartment List survey. shipped to you. You can Tiny homes are much cheaper, with prices rang- even order one on Aming from $10,000 to more azon. Used tiny homes, along with inspirational than $200,000 (averagstories and information, ing about $65,000), and “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-1foot chunk on the dresser, folks started seeing the potential for living in what basically amounts to a laptop with a roof.”

LIVE TINY AND FREE More than twice as many tiny homeowners—68 percent compared with 29 percent of all US homeowners—have no mortgage, and 78 percent own their own home.

SOURCE: thetinylife.com

LEFT: The dining table in Jay Shaferʼs 130-squarefoot home can be taken down and stored in a closet when not in use.

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THE LIFE

TRY TINY

Think you might love a tiny house? airbnb.com, vrbo.com, glampinghub. com, and getaway.com all have tiny home listings to sample the lifestyle.

SECTION

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN TINY HOMES

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 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 300to 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.

In Canada, activists calling themselves Tiny House Warriors are taking the revolution to the next level, placing “resistance-homes-on-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.”

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

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702.857.7474 THISSTUFFISGOODFORYOU.COM LOGOS ARE A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OWNED BY THE NEXTL3VEL SERVICES GROUP LLC. 2018THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.*NOT ACTUAL PRODUCTS SHOWN

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THE LIFE

LEARN MORE

Las Vegas Urban League 6480 W. Flamingo Rd., Ste. B 3320 E. Flamingo Rd., Ste. 50 lvccul.org

H E A LT H

A Healthy Foundation Las Vegas Urban League blends education and nourishment for National Nutrition Month.

TEXT REGGIE BURTON

The staff at the Las Vegas Urban League Women, Infants & Children program (WIC) is doing its part to educate young families on the benefits of healthy eating habits yearround. However, March is National Nutrition Month created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The WIC Nutrition Education Team provides ongoing nutritional education and support-

ive services to parents so that they can make better choices and lead healthier lifestyles. Registered dietitians develop individual nutritional care plans for families, including group-counseling development, as well as curriculums such as Participant Centered Services, to ensure families adhere to the best eating habits.

“We are dedicated to delivering five-star

customer service 24/7 in parental nutrition education, proper breastfeeding, and milk-storage techniques,” says Tim Perez, director of Nutrition Education Centers-WIC. “We are a one-stop service for everything new parents need to know for proper assistance for both themselves and their babies.”

Parents need not wait until their babies are

born to utilize WIC’s available services. Pregnant women can enroll anytime in WIC programs to obtain proper nutritional education counseling; nutritional supplemental food packages; and referral services to other programs in the community such as food banks and immunization information, and medical and dental services.

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THE LIFE C O C K TA I L S

MORE COCKTAILS

For more recipes, including the Irish Mudslide and the March Madness Boilermaker, visit sensimag.com

Party with Patty PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSTELLATION CATERING

Enjoy a cocktail during March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day. TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Forget those old movies with spiked pink punch in a big bowl. This is a fun retro drink with an Irish twist. Punch, a drink containing fruit juice, was fi rst introduced to the British in India in the 17th century. The fruity concoction spread to other countries and became a favorite in the US in the early 1900s.

St. Patrick’s Party Punch Serves 20-25

INGREDIENTS

2 bottles of champagne 2 liters of ginger ale ½ can of pineapple juice 2 quarts lime sherbet Lime slices for garnish

INST RUCT IONS

• Pour champagne, ginger ale, and pineapple juice. Stir to mix.

• Add sherbet, and stir to mix the sherbet to give it its green color.

• The drink can be served in a punch bowl (or large bowl), with a ladle.

• The drink can also be ladled into individual punch glasses with a lime garnish.

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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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KYLER’S KICKS

Kylerʼs Kicks Lounge 1200 S. Fourth St., Las Vegas kylerskickslv.org

KICK ’EM WITH KINDNESS

Fourteen-year-old Kyler Nipper demonstrates action and compassion through Kyler’s Kicks.

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

PHOTOS BY DANIELLE EUGENIA PHOTOGRAPHY

O

ur youth have always been our future—despite any turmoil, schizophrenic economy, feuds between generations, societal divisions, or political unrest they face as they wake up each day. Humans persevere through the darkest of moments with the youth possessing optimism that they can still change the world. Yes, they can—and they do.

Teens in Las Vegas also embrace social change, whether they have experienced trauma themselves or a cause that arouses passion and commitment. It is now time to shine a light on a special young person in southern Nevada who is making a difference today.

A sharp pencil altered the life of Kyler Nipper, sending him on a path he never expected to walk.

Before his life veered 360 degrees, Kyler lived in Texas with his parents, Sherise and Nick Nipper, and his two older siblings. The first shock in his young life was when his mother was diagnosed with epilepsy. Medicinal cannabis was not legal in Texas, so, while the two older siblings remained

there, Kyler’s family moved to Colorado in 2015 to allow Sherise to use medicinal cannabis.

With finances stretched tight, Kyler’s parents could not afford the outrageously priced shoes and other gear for a teenager. But the family thrived while maintaining a loving home, and Kyler attended school with clean clothing and the best his parents could provide.

But, on Oct. 7, 2017, while walking down a school hallway, a classmate stabbed Kyler in his chest with a sharp pencil, puncturing his lung. He was rushed to the hospital and was admitted for three days, facing multiple surgeries.

The attacker said that he stabbed Kyler because his shoes were “not cool enough.” Kyler was just 11 years old at the time. At his young age, Kyler started suffering from PTSD, as well as lingering pain in his chest and feet.

“As part of my healing, I wanted to give away cool shoes. A lot of friends started to donate shoes, and we created a Facebook page,” Kyler explains. “People started to mail us shoes, and then we started to get sponsors. Zappos reached

out to us when someone told them about our shoe giveaway and gave us 300 pairs of shoes.” That was only the beginning of his service and long-standing relationship with Zappos, but the family’s hard times were far from over.

THE DARKEST OF DAYS While recovering from his physical injuries, as well as the emotional and mental trauma, Kyler was prescribed pharmaceuticals by his doctor. “I almost lost my baby within the first 72 hours after he took the prescribed medication,” recalls his mother. “We walked into his room and found him with a belt tied around his neck. We rushed him to the emergency room, and the doctor told us that this is a ‘normal’ side effect of Zoloft for teenage boys. We were told to ‘just watch him’ for the first 90 days.”

Since she was using medicinal cannabis in a state where it was legal, Sherise innocently asked the emergency room doctor about her son using cannabis instead of prescription drugs. The physician told his staff to call the police and child protective services, and report the parents as unfit.

The police arrived, pulled out the handcuffs and threatened to arrest Kyler’s parents.

“When the police pulled out their handcuffs on me,” she recalls, “I asked them, ‘Why aren’t you also arresting the doctor? It was the doctor that gave my minor son a pill that caused him to want to kill himself.’”

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to his parents’ care. The family then fought CPS through the Colorado court system for months before they won the right to give Kyler medicinal cannabis.

“The day we won, we took Kyler down to get his medical cannabis card. Ever since then, it has been night and day with Kyler. Cannabis is the key to Kyler’s healing,” she says. Pharmaceuticals scare Kyler’s parents, and they don’t want any other parent to witness their child trying to kill themselves because of a side effect of prescription drugs.

Before the legal bills, the family had lost everything after Kyler was stabbed. Their personal insurance wouldn’t cover expenses because the stabbing had happened on school property. The school district refused to pay, making the statement that it was the responsibility of the parents and their personal health insurance. While a federal lawsuit has been filed, Kyler’s family still had to pay his medical expenses, financially devastating them.

CREATING A MOVEMENT After becoming homeless, the family used their savings, $800, to purchase a 1978 RV to drive through

the Southwest before settling in Las Vegas, where Zappos is based, and medicinal cannabis is legal.

The Zappos community embraced the family, giving Kyler space to study and a laptop to work on. Believing in Kyler and his family, Zappos then awarded them a check for $15,000 to create a nonprofit organization.

Kyler, still 11 at the time, attended classes held at the US Small Business Administration as the youngest student among adults.

He also took nonprofit boot camp and public speaking and other classes throughout the years.

Kyler’s Kicks has become a shoe distributing reality, but because Kyler is a minor, he cannot be president of the nonprofit organization. A third party had to review the papers and bylaws, establishing that, when he turns 18, Kyler can transition smoothly into the role.

A PLACE FOR TEENS TO GO Trauma invades time even with passing years, and therapy helps with jagged edges. “I knew I needed therapy, but we couldn’t afford it,” admits Kyler. “After doing research, I discovered Nevada

places No. 51 (including US Territories) in mental health care. I wanted to open a place and bring that number up to 48.”

What Kyler and his parents learned while looking for a place for the healing space is that there is different zoning for therapy services, education, and social clubs.

As a teenager looking for a building to offer both therapy and a social place for teens in one place, that search became daunting.

Anyone who has ever met Kyler and his family understands that obstacles are meant to be overcome with success.

After finding a building, Kyler had to apply for the licenses and was continuously turned down.

The family attended multiple meeting at the Small Business Administration and the City of Las Vegas Department of Planning. After numerous meetings, Kyler and his family presented a comprehensive 23-page business plan about the need and how they could benefit from a nonprofit organization.

Kyler finally received approval.

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Q: Which U.S. President Asked Congress To Decriminalize Cannabis?

A: Jimmy Carter

Within ďŹ rst six months of taking oďŹƒce, President Jimmy Carter was candid about cannabis. During a 1977 address to Congress, he asked they abolish federal penalties for possession. If we know this much about cannabis, imagine what we know to Lift Your Business.

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a second building in downtown, only to be turned down due to their credit history—and no credit history with the nonprofit agency.

With the help of Zappos and the Never Give Up Behavioral Health Services, Kyler raised $14,950 online to pay one year’s rent and security deposit in advance. The space, now Kyler’s Kicks Lounge, was refurnished with a kitchen and meeting room, plus games, a billiard table, and a TV. Kyler is the president of Kyler’s Kicks Lounge teen board of directors. The family has partnered with Never Give Up to provide licensed therapists and life coaches.

Now 14 years old, Kyler is homeschooled, in addition to his many nonprofit and lounge responsibilities. His mother works exclusively with Kyler, and his father handles two jobs at the moment. Kyler’s goal when he turns 18 is to create an affordable shoe line with a business model where every pair sold affords another pair to be donated.

“YOU CAN COME TO [KYLER’S KICKS LOUNGE] AND TELL US HOW YOU HAD A BAD DAY IN SCHOOL, [OR THAT] YOU WANT TO HARM YOURSELF, AND WE HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO YOU.” —Sherise Nipper, Kyler’s Mother

Kyler’s Kicks partners with numerous agencies, and Kyler’s Kicks Lounge offers a place for teens attending sixth to 12th grades to go for help, comfort, and fun. Today, the family drives a wrapped car, celebrating Kyler’s Kicks, and is renovating a school bus purchased during an auction for the nonprofit to offer even more services.

“We want every teenager in Las Vegas to know there is a place now open that they can come for a delicious meal, resources (including therapy), and a place to talk,” says Sherise. “You can come to us and tell us how you had a bad day in school, [or that] you want to harm yourself, and we have someone to talk to you. You don’t have to have health insurance, and you don’t need a social security number.”

Kyler smiles and, while being a kid playing video games and hanging with friends, is just getting started on goals with his life. In 14 years, he has accomplished so much, which he says is just the beginning.

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The child who stabbed Kyler was sent to a juvenile center and is being closely monitored. Cohen Medical Centers was a big help in Kylerʼs recovery in Colorado and continues to work with Kyler in Las Vegas, helping with dosing and making certain everyone in the family is doing well.

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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

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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

C

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.”

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ENLIGHTEN YOUR EVENT

LAS VEGA S, N V | MARCH 2 2 , 2 0 2 0 E M E R A L D AT Q U E E N S R I D G E

SOPHISTICATED CANNABIS EXPERIENCES

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CANNABIS_WEDDING_EXPO

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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INDULGE

Big Bʼs Texas BBQ Locations in Henderson and Las Vegas bigbztexasbbq.com

Deep in the Heart of Vegas Satisfy carnivore desires at Big B’s Texas BBQ.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIG BʼS TEXAS BBQ

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Texans love to enjoy their succulent meat smoked, roasted, slow-cooked, or grilled barbecue style.

Texas native Brian Buechner and his Estonian wife, Natalia, have transported that indescribable flavor of Texas barbecue to Vegas via Big B’s Texas BBQ. Barbecue transcends many regions, and Big B’s Texas BBQ follows the traditions of the Hill Country using Texas mesquite and oak wood imported from the Lone

Star State. This style of Texas barbecue is considered “purist barbecue,” explains Natalia. Quality meat is simply coated with only a dry rub of salt and pepper—never brined or injected—and smoked on wood for hours. Meats are then served on butcher paper with sauce on the side.

“I think it is really cool that the meat has been cooked for generations in the same exact way,” says Natalia.

Beef brisket, hot links, chicken, turkey, California-style tri-tip, and Southern-style pork are served alongside a selection of classic side dishes, beer, wine, and dessert.

Brian moved to Las Vegas more than 20 years ago for career opportunities but was unable to find authentic, traditional Texas barbecue in Vegas.

Although not trained chefs, the couple decided to follow their dreams, opening their first location in Henderson in 2016.

They recently opened a second location in Las Vegas with the same Texas flavor and, for sports fans, Texas games broadcast in the party room.

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c

w

is

h

en

all wom g n i all o love cannab

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

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THE SCENE

GO THERE

Las Vegas Artistsʼ Guild lvartistsguild.org City of the World cityoftheworldlasvegas.org

ART

Reinvention

Community art galleries proliferate in the mall.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF (LEFT) LAS VEGAS ARTISTSʼ GUILD, (RIGHT) CITY OF THE WORLD

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Shopping malls have developed into social centers over the decades, and, today, one more aspect has blossomed with community art galleries.

Commercial art galleries have displayed artwork in shopping malls over the years. Now, two nonprofit groups, Las Vegas Artists’ Guild and City of the World, can offer exposure for local artists.

The movement began when the Las Vegas Artists’ Guild was invited

to hold pop-up art in the mall over the weekends.

The shows resonated with shoppers, and the artists could engage with the public. After being offered a permanent space, the guild set up the gallery as a social area showcasing artists.

Events such as Saturday Night Live with live music and on-site artists offer a new way to appreciate art while at the mall, along with classes and receptions.

City of the World reopened its gallery this year to include a special student art gallery featuring artworks created by the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Originally in the 18b arts district, City of the World will capture a different audience with its move to the mall, along with the benefits of longer hours and more space. Several art teachers are members, and the organization offers

classes, events, receptions, and exhibitions of featured artists.

Membership to both organizations is open to the public—with the only prerequisite being support of the arts in southern Nevada.

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

THE STRAT TRANSFORMATION WHERE: THE STRAT HOTEL, CASINO & SKYPOD WHEN: JAN. 22, 2020 PHOTOS: IRA KUZMA PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE STRAT

N

THE SCENE HIGH SOCIETY

New Name, Fun Times The transformation of the iconic property to The Strat Hotel, Casino & SkyPod was celebrated in style. Special guests Sammy Hagar, Guy Fieri, Rick Springfield, and Governor Steve Sisolak shared in the ribbon-cutting in front of The Strat. As the festivities fell on Fieriʼs birthday, he joined his friend Hagar at The Strat following a birthday celebration at one of his restaurants. Along with the party in Blvd & Main Taphouse, the rockers hung out at the Remix Lounge, pouring shots and drinks for fans.

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THE LAUNCH OF RVD CBD WHEN: FEB. 9, 2020 PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SENSI

O

THE SCENE HIGH SOCIETY

Party with the Fishes

Wrestling champion Rob Van Dam and Brett Raymer, star of Animal Planetʼs Tanked hosted an invite-only launch party of the RVD CBD line. Guests, including BMX athlete Ricardo Laguna and football player Terrance Carter, were treated to the latest products infused with CBD. Hustler Vodka sponsored the bar offering the new RVD CBD-infused sports drink. Chef Zairilla Bacon of Zairillaʼs Recipes catered the event with wings, fries, and vegan shish kabobs, introducing her own brand of infused cooking spices.

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

March is more than basketball in Las Vegas; it’s a celebration of the creative soul living in each of us.

TEXT DEBBIE HALL

Spring is the best time of year, with bright colors, music-filled nights, and creative endeavors. Adults and kids can dance in the sun, and, with warmer temperatures, even splash around in the water. They can enjoy a play, laugh with a sports legend, or learn a new skill. Art blossoms while singers hit the high notes onstage and violins play the strings on everyone’s heart. Singles, couples, and families can enjoy a world outside of the neon lights and tourist attractions.

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Mar.1–27 Vegas PBS, Las Vegas vegaspbs.org

Vegas PBS is accepting submissions to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on active learning. The contest empowers children in kindergarten through fifth grade to celebrate creativity and build literacy skills by writing and illustrating their very own stories.

First Friday Mar. 6, 5–10 p.m.

Arts District, Las Vegas ffflv.org

Three Days of Musical Celebrations Featuring Rare Stradivarius Violins Mar. 6–8 The Smith Center, Las Vegas lvphil.org

Stradivarius violins and virtuosi violinists will be hosted for a series of events that highlight the prestigious and valuable

PHOTO BY BEN WHITE

On the Calendar

Vegas PBS KIDS Writers Contest

THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

Sojourner Truth 2020 Las Vegas presented by Bluegrass Vegas City Opera Festival

Coloring Café Hosted by Paul

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) BY LARISA BIRTA, COURTESY OF CSN, ALEXANDROS BINOPOULOS, AARON BURDEN

Mar. 9, 12 p.m.

Summerlin Library, Las Vegas lvccld.org

musical instruments. Performances, concerts, dinner, and brunch are all part of the festivities, presented by the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Queen Bee Market Mar. 7–8, 10 a.m The Conference Center of Las Vegas thequeenbeemarket.com

Adults have embraced the creativity and serenity of coloring, and the library offers an opportunity to color away the afternoon.

Coloring supplies are available to borrow, or you can bring your own and add bursts of color to the world around you.

Mar. 15, 3 p.m.

Windmill Library, Las Vegas vegascityopera.org

Mar. 21, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Centennial Hills Park, Las Vegas artslasvegas.org

Scalia/Ginsburg, presented by Opera Las Vegas

Cowabunga Bay Opening

Mar. 19–22, 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas operalasvegas.com

The Terry Bradshaw Show Debut Mar. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Luxor Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas mgmresorts.com/luxor

Mar. 21, 11 a.m.

Cowabunga Bay Water Park, Henderson cowabungabayvegas.com

Learn to Hula Mar. 27, 10:30 a.m.

Enterprise Library, Las Vegas lvccld.org

Staged Reading of The Children Mar. 27, 7:30 p.m.

Clark County Library, Las Vegas Mar. 29, 7:30 p.m.

Windmill Library, Las Vegas apublicfit.org

The Rose Is Always Redder Next Door Mar. 25, 6 p.m.

College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas csn.edu/artgallery

17th Annual Walk with the Heart of a Child Mar. 21, 7 a.m.

Springs Preserve, Las Vegas chfn.org

A Public Fit Theatre CompaIn this exhibition ny presents Lucy hosted by the Kirkwood’s The Department of Fine Children, in which Arts, Japanese and a retired couple of American culture physicists live in is showcased via seclusion, focused drawings by artist on yoga and yogurt Mayuko Ono Gray. while the world is She will participate dealing with a nuin a gallery talk clear disaster. Then with a reception an old “friend” to follow Mar. 25. shows up with a The exhibit will be frightening request. on display Mar. 1 to 28.

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D BAILEY’S

Category: Pet CBD Tincture/Pet Treats Author: Erica DeLoach, certified massage therapist, E-RYT 200, voice coach, and herbalist

CBG for Pets Cannabigerol is the mother of all cannabinoids.

T

he acronyms CBD and THC have become commonplace, so when a new one hits the market, it stirs a healthy curiosity. Revered as the “mother of all cannabinoids,” cannabigerol

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(CBG) is not as well-known as its siblings, yet it still can contribute a great deal in terms of the medicinal benefits of cannabis. But what exactly is it?

While it may seem complicated, CBG acid (CBGA) is produced as a

precursor of THCA, CBDA, and CBCA. Cannabis enzymes turn CBGA into THCA, CBDA, or CBCA, then decarboxylate them (activate them through light/heat). This removes the acidity and breaks them down into THC, CBD, or CBC. After decarboxylation, the remaining CBGA converts to CBG, so CBG tends to be more abundant in low-THC cannabis.

In order to maintain high levels of CBG during the plant’s maturation process, farmers are now breeding specific strains so the buds have high amounts of CBGA. Like CBD and others components found in cannabis, CBG is still being studied, but the results so far are very promising. As a nonpsychoactive

cannabinoid, its benefits aren’t just useful for us, they’re particularly appealing for our pets. There are several conditions CBG can potentially treat in our beloved pets, including neurological diseases, skin disorders or infections, chronic pain, bone repair, high blood pressure, and inflammation.

CBG can help our pets with glaucoma, high blood pressure, nerve cell degeneration, inflammation, gastrointestinal issues, cell and tumor growths, low appetite, and skin conditions. It also can act as a pain reliever, help lessen depression and anxiety, seizures, and more. Because CBG oil is not as readily available, knowing where it’s sourced should

be your top priority. When you find a company that carries it, ask for lab reports, about its growing process, and start small with the dosing, especially when it comes to your pets.

Cannabigerol provides many benefits directly, but a significant amount of those come from the synergy between cannabinoids. It is an exciting development in the market and one that could offer a better quality of life for our pets, and for us as well.

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.

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Introducing Uleva TM

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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E LEE’S DISCOUNT LIQUOR

Lee’s Discount Liquor Expands Empire A long-time Las Vegas liquor store will now carry CBD-infused drinks.

A

South Korean immigrant continues to expand his enterprise, Lee’s Discount Liquor, with more stores, trying out a potential new product line for his loyal customer base.

In 1980, Hae Un Lee came to the United States from his home in South Korea, in search of the American dream. He began building his liquor sales empire in Las Vegas, personally gambling that his hard work would drive customers to his stores and help him move his family to the states for a better life.

His timing was perfect. At the time, liquor was only being sold in super-

two miles off the Vegas Strip called A-Plaza Liquor Barn. “His mentality was that he always wanted to be on top,” Gutowski says. “That’s why he chose that name. It put the company at the top of the list in the Yellow Pages.”

Lee’s Discount Liquor stores carry hundreds of brands of wine, beer, and liquor, including Turkish and Russian liquor products, plus rare and hard-to-find items like Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.

With all the recent action about legalizing recreational cannabis in Vegas, and the many dispensaries popping up over the last three years, the potential market for selling infused CBD drinks caught Lee’s attention.

“We have been researching CBD drinks to bring into our stores and currently have one Artic Ice in five different flavors. That’s the first one we’ve decided to carry,” Gutowski says. The company has been looking at several other CBD-infused drink companies.

“We are keeping an eye on the trend.”

Lee’s Discount Liquor hosts two annual experiences, one in May, featuring beer and tequila, and one in November, featuring wine. The proceeds from the experiences go to Lee’s own nonprofit organization, Lee’s Helping Hand Foundation, which then distributes that money to selected charities across Nevada, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada.

markets in the city, and there were no independent liquor stores.

Today, Lee has opened 22 locations, including 18 Lee’s Discount Liquor stores in Las Vegas, one in Mesquite, Nevada, one in Wendover, Nevada, and two in Reno, with more stores planned in the coming year.

“Mr. Lee started from scratch,” says Marsha Gutowski, director of marketing and events. “He wanted to do something that would provide a living and benefit his kids’ education, and he was really hardworking.”

Lee’s Discount Liquor Lee opened his first liquor store Purveyor of Spirits, Beer, Wine and in Vegas in 1981. He bought a CBD-Infused Drinks 2,500-square-foot strip mall store just leesliquorlv.com

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GO THERE

Little Church of the West 4617 Las Vegas Blvd. S. littlechurchofthewest.com

New Beginnings Little Church of the West chapel celebrates love.

Before Las Vegas became a glitzy, glamorous tourist destination, the Little Church of the West wedding chapel opened its doors in 1942. It was originally built as part of the Hotel Last Frontier.

The Flamingo Hotel and Casino had not yet been built, and the Las Vegas Strip was a two-lane road to downtown.

Today, as the oldest chapel on the Strip, with 50 L AS V EGAS

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a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the building remains a place where people come to get married. The quaint building—designed as a replica of an Old West mining town church—is housed in cedar exterior, with interior walls of California redwood. The chapel remains the same today, despite having moved to three different locations.

In 1954, the chapel was moved from the north side to the south side of Hotel Last Frontier.

When plans were underway to build the Fashion Show mall in 1979, the chapel was moved six miles to the location of the Hacienda Resort Hotel and Casino. When the Hacienda was sold in 1996 to be demolished for the building of Mandalay Bay Resort

and Casino, the chapel was moved again to its present spot on the Strip, southeast of the resort.

Over the years, numerous celebrities have spoken their vows in the little chapel, but perhaps most famously when Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret recited their vows in the movie Viva Las Vegas. Self-guided tours are available for ’Gram moments.

PHOTO BY DIETMAR RABICH

TEXT DEBBIE HALL