Sensi Magazine—North Bay (Summer 2020)

I N O RT H BAY S U M M E R 2020

THE GALLEY

Meet the mermaid masterminds behind Sonoma County’s newest collective

STATE OF THE BEES

How to keep your local hives thriving

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NORTH BAY SENSI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020

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F E AT U R E S

28 32

Mermaids of Mary Jane

Annie Holman gets ready to set sail at the Galley.

Body Made for Bliss

Did you know you have an endocannabinoid system? You do.

So why haven’t you heard about it?

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 38 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town 12 THE BUZZ SAVE THE BEES How you News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop

CENTENNIEL CELEBRATION

An ode to 100 years of women’s suffrage PURE APPINESS The app to lift your spirits PRODUCT Leef Organics Revive CBD Balm DIY DREAM HOUSE Own local history two ways BASKIN THE GOODNESS

CBD for athletes

can help local hives

AROUND TOWN Boon

Hotel + Spa

NOT ON THE CALENDAR

What to do now that there’s nothing to do

52 THE END A local poet reflects on activism in the climate crisis era.

ON THE COVER

See what’s coming up for this up-and-coming manufacturing collective

20 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness CBN FOR ZZZ Products that help you sleep DIGITAL DETOX Unplug in the name of self-care HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

S U M M E R 2020

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Providing First Hand Knowledge and Quality Agricultural Products PureCrop11issann organicc biostimulant,, insecticide,,andd fungicideemadee offplanttbasedd materials FlowZonee Industriall StrengthhSprayerss runnonnaalithiumm batteryywithh 65PSI-lowworr 115PSI-high Connecttwithhus JDistributinggcomm||(707))272-29711|| contact@JDistributinggcom @jdistributing

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ADVISORY BOARD

965 Solutions, LLC Cannabis Manufacturing Advancement Branding Product Branding Aita and Associates Insurance Marketing, Inc Employee Benefit Specialists Coachella Labs Manufacturing Convergence Laboratories Cannabis Testing Laboratory Extreme Towing, LLC. Towing 4 A Cause Flora Terra Destination Dispensary The Galley Commercial Cannabis Kitchen Garden Society Craft Cannabis Golden State Government Relations Licensing & Compliance Kushla Life Sciences Cannabis Formulations J Distributing Biostimulant

Natural Cannabis Art Gallery Red Door Remedies Dispensary; Cloverdale Sonoma Patient Group Dispensary; Santa Rosa Strictly Topical Pain Relief Topicals Vaper Tip Vape Supply & Consulting Wana Brands Edible Gummies

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA FAC E B O O K Like Sensi Media Group for the parties, topics, and happenings we’re obsessed with right now.

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

I N S TAG R A M @sensimagazine is home to exclusive photos and content.

Magazine published monthly

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

EXECUTIVE

T

Ron Kolb Founder, CEO ron@sensimag.com Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com Fran Heitkamp Chief Operating Officer fran@sensimag.com Lou Ferris VP of Global Revenue lou@sensimag.com Chris Foltz Director of Global Reach chris@sensimag.com Jade Kolb Director of Project Management jade.kolb@sensimag.com Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Nora Mounce Managing Editor nora.mounce@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 Meryl Howsam, Bevin Wallace Copy Editors Elizabeth Archer, Dawn Garcia, Jonah Raskin, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director em@sensimag.com Wendy Mak, Kiara Lopez, Josh Clark, Jason Jones Designers PUBLISHING

Nancy Birnbaum Publisher nancy.birnbaum@sensimag.com Toni Malvesta Associate Publisher toni.malvesta@sensimag.com Sam De La Paz Associate Publisher sam.delapaz@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N

Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

“The new normal” is the tagline we at Sensi

have been using since our inception; it appeared on every cover prior to our redesign in December 2019—roughly 200 magazines emblazoned with the phrase. We used it to highlight cannabis’s transition into the mainstream, and during the early days of COVID-19, we watched it become the official catchphrase of the pandemic. “The New Normal.” How else could you describe it?

With that, I welcome you to Sensi’s new new normal, which looks a great deal different than some five months and a lifetime ago. Way back then, we were printing local magazines in 14 markets across the country, with a 15th (Metro Maryland) slated to launch April. Our creative team was in the midst of sending those editions to print when COVID-19 started to pick up steam. After some hard conversations with our leadership team, we made the call to hit pause for a variety of reasons, namely that our points of distribution were not going to be distributing during a global pandemic.

We were optimistic that we’d be back by June. Then we thought we’d return in July.

I’m writing this on August 7 as those refreshed April editions work their way to being published in the next few days, if all goes as planned.

Little these days is going as planned, for better and for worse. But if there’s a silver lining to this chaos, it may be that it’s forced us to slow down and examine our lives— to really consider the why and how behind it. It provided a chance to stop the constant doing and start thinking about whether those are the right goals to be aiming for at all. It allowed us to examine our business piece by piece, strip down to the basics and rebuild using the lessons we stumbled our way through. We’re guided by one mission: to serve our readers and communities by focusing on connection—to information, to each other, to businesses and brands that meet your needs.

That’s why, for the first time in Sensi’s history, we won’t be printing magazines. Going all-digital this month helps us increase our reach without compromising the quality our readers expect. We hope to return to print in the not-too-distant future—perhaps no one more than me. I believe in the power of print.

But I also believe in evolution, and the way people consume information is changing. By limiting ourselves to print, we were limiting our impact. But now, with a fresh digital strategy that entails both dynamic local content as well as fully designed digital magazines created by the award-winning team at Em Agency, we’ve got the best of both worlds, and I’m excited to introduce you to the first phase of Sensi’s new digital universe. We’re almost ready to take the scaffolding off Phase 2, so be sure to check back and see what we’ve got planned in order to continue to bring our new normal into the new-new normal of the world.

Thank you for being here with us as we rebuild—better than we were before.

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 S U M M E R 2020

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SONOMA COUNT Y’S DESTINATION DISPENSARY 1 8 2 5 E M P I R E I N D U S T R I A L C O U R T, S A N T A R O S A , C A fl o r a t e r r a c a . c o m | @ fl o r a t e r r a c a l i ce n se # C12- 0000185 - L IC

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—Nineteenth Amendment of the US Constitution

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all yet had been omitted from the political process.

Also obvious: the best way to celebrate this centennial, regardless of gender, is to exercise your right to influence politics by casting a ballot in November in what will be This month marks the 100th anniversary one of the most important elections of women gaining the right to vote. of our lifetimes. Check your voter registration status now—right now.

On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amend- ultimately effective, and—imporGo on, we’ll wait, it takes a minute tantly—nonviolent Civil Rights and ment was ratified into law after a on usa.gov/confirm-voter-registration. anti-war movements. long, arduous battle led by some Then text that web address to your To this day, the only right women incredibly badass women who came friends, post it on your socials, to embrace the denigrating “suffrag- are guaranteed equally under the US ette” nickname bestowed upon them Constitution is the right to vote. In fact, share it so much it gets redundant.

Volunteer for voter registration by men aghast at the idea of women women were not even included in the participating in the political process. Constitution until the 19th Amendment. drives. Help get people to the polls.

Be vocal and denounce any false The ratification of that equalThe suffragettes and their male rights amendment led to the largest statements about voter fraud assocounterparts, collectively known as suffragists (aka people who advocate single one-day increase of potential ciated with mail-in ballots. And then vote like your life depends upon it. for the extension of the right to vote, voters in the history of the United States. Which, duh, obviously: wom- Because this time, more so than ever especially to women), crafted a poen make up half the population and before, lives do depend on it. litical movement that was powerful, SUMMER 2020

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO CREDIT BY MARY LONG, ADOBE STOCK / CONSTITUTION IMAGE BY ANDREA IZZOTTI, ADOBE STOCK

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Celebrating a Big Win

C O N T R I B U TO R S

Sam De La Paz, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Nora Mounce, Stephanie Wilson

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For every individual caller referred by the American Heart Association through May 31, 2021, Happy will donate a free first-time call valued at $24 to the American Heart Association’s Support Network, for a minimum donation of $50,000. So download the App now. Call, get support, and be happy.

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BY THE NUMBERS

2

PERCENT Proportion of California’s 5,116 Cannabis Cultivation License holders who reside in Sonoma County.

$31

BILLION Projected combined legal medical and adult-use cannabis sales in California between 2020 and 2025.

SOURCE: New Frontier Data

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29% Percent of consumers who said there was an increase in their personal cannabis consumption as a response to COVID-19.

S U M M E R 2020

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SANTA ROSA / CALIFORNIA

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 IN CASE YOU MISSED THE IRONY of all the Great Gatsbythemed New Year’s Eve parties thrown to welcome in the second coming of the Roaring 20s, let me remind you how that decade ended: not much worse than this one is starting.

2 IN CASE YOU NEED A REMINDER: whatever you’re feeling is valid. There is no right or wrong way to process what we’re going through right now. There is a right way to interact with others right now, though: with care, through a mask, and from a distance.

Own a Slice of Sonoma County History

Two legacy properties invite your DIY skills and imagination.

With alarming headlines showing no sign of slowing, it’s a good time to dust off your bucket list of dreams.

Need help stoking the fire of your imagination? How about owning a slice of history to call your own? Two Sonoma County legacy properties recently hit the market: Each offers a chance to reinvent your future while indulging in an eccentric form of escapism.

3 IN CASE YOU’RE FEELING LIKE GOING OUT in public with-

Freestone Market

out a mask: stop watching Fox News, you’re being brainwashed. Be a good human, you’re better than that.

500 Bohemian Hwy. / Freestone / $775,000

4 IN CASE YOU NEED A PICK-ME-UP: pick up a bouquet of blooms the next time you’re at the grocery store. Yes, funds are tight and flowers may seem like a frivolous purchase, but a $6 bouquet can brighten up rooms and moods alike. A 2018 study from the University of North Florida’s Department of Public Health finds that living with flowers “significantly alleviates daily stresses.” And we’re all a little bit stressed right now. Or we’re in denial, which is a stressful state to be in. Flowers will help. Pro tip: for the best flowers at the lowest prices, look for wholesale florists open to the public in your area.

5 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Denver’s mayor reversed his decision to leave recreational cannabis dispensaries and liquor stores off the list of essential businesses just three hours after the city’s stay-athome order was issued in March. Denverites were clear: flowers— the kind ones with THC—are definitely essential.

Tucked along Salmon Creek on the way to Bodega Bay, Freestone is the kind of beloved one-horse towns that preserves West Sonoma County’s rugged character. Famous for its humble bread bakery, artisan cheese shop, and holistic spa, Freestone is emblematic of the Sonoma County lifestyle—quality of life without a fuss.

You can join this tiny enclave of bohemian bliss as the new owner of the Freestone Country Store, established in 1876. Listed at $775,000, the country store is a time capsule to another era, situated amid world-class vineyards and miles from the stunning Pacific Coast. The property includes a two-story, 4886-square-foot redwood building, two residential units, and a garden area, and comes with store fixtures, remaining inventory, and an off-sale ABC license. In other words, it’s ready for action.

“WE CAN’T EAT ANYMORE WITHOUT BEING POLITICAL. OUR FOOD CHOICES HAVE A HUGE IMPACT.” —Sarah Owens, baker and cookbook author SOURCE: pressdemocrat.com

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THE BUZZ

The Asti Colony House 26495 Asti Rd. / Cloverdale / $2,995,000

The tiny town of Asti, nestled between Cloverdale and Healdsburg off the 101, was once home to a lively colony of Italian Swiss immigrants. Established in 1881 by Andrea Sbarbaro, an immigrant from Northern Italy, the town of Asti grew around the Italian Swiss Colony, a winery that produced affordable table wines for nearly a century. In the 1950s, the Italian Swiss Colony rivaled Disneyland for attracting the most tourists in California, and the winery helped popularize the wine country lifestyle years before Napa and Sonoma were household names. After surviving Prohibition and numerous changes in ownership, today the brand has been absorbed by mega-producer E. & J. Gallo.

While the glamour of Asti’s Italian Swiss Colony wine is a distant memory, the historic grandeur of the Asti Colony House, circa 1912, stands proud. For an asking price just shy of 3 million, the six-bedroom, four-bathroom house comes with over seven acres of cabernet vines, a guest house, a caretaker’s cottage, a barn, and an orchard. Only minutes from the five-star restaurants of Geyserville and the bustle of historic Healdsburg, the Colony House at Asti sits at the crossroads of history and heritage in Sonoma County.

After you sign the papers, let us know when to pop by for a housewarming—we’ll bring wine!

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CUSTOMER SUPPORT

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THE BUZZ

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) BY REDPIXEL, ADOBE STOCK / COURTESY OF VETERANS CANNABIS PROJECT

Standing Up for Veterans

To cope with these injuries, veterans are prescribed myriad medications, often including opiates—an approach that has left veterans battling addictions. An average of 20 veterans commit suicide from Veterans Cannabis Project remains laser- these complications daily, according to the group. Studies and veterfocused on advocating for vets. an experiences demonstrate that cannabis is a viable treatment option that circumvents the negative side effects of opiates and other According to statistics from the American Legion, 92 percent of prescriptions, Distaso says. But veterans continue to be barred from all veterans support research into medical cannabis, and 83 perlegal access by federal law because of its Schedule 1 status. cent of veteran households support legalizing medical cannabis.

The VCP’s stance is that veterans have obviously earned their That’s why the Veterans Cannabis Project (VCP) pulls no benefits—which must include full access to safe, legal medical punches when it comes to access to medical cannabis for veterans. cannabis. Thus, the VCP is asking that the federal government allow “We’re working to change the conversation about the lifesaving VA doctors to recommend cannabis, counsel veterans on how to ac(webster’s) health treatment value of cannabis,” says Doug Distaso, cess legal cannabis, and complete/submit the necessary paperwork; executive director. He explains that service members are coming provide legal protections for veterans to use medical cannabis home with wounds both visible and invisible, and are experiencing without fear that they will lose their job or benefits; and require the chronic pain and PTSD at double the rate of the average American.

VA to research the impacts of cannabis on veterans’ health issues.

Pillars for the mission include advocating on behalf of veteran cannabis access; educating policymakers and the public about the value of cannabis to veterans; and supporting veterans across the nation with the resources necessary for understanding the value of medical cannabis, and knowing their rights and the tools they need to encourage federal policy change. “We’re helping create a community that can heal our nation’s broken approach to cannabis and provide veterans with safe, legal access,” says Distaso.

Veterans Cannabis Project / vetscp.org

VOX POPULI

Question: How are you trying to green up your lifestyle this year?

AMANDA MADISON

VINCE SCHOLTEN

BRINO ISM

LAUREL GREGORY

NORA WEBER

Creative and Photographer Santa Rosa

Owner, NorCal Growers; President, Hessel Grange, Sebastopol

Artist, Clown, Big Thinker Sebastopol

Owner, Heartbrew Design Studio, Santa Rosa

Personal Trainer Petaluma

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

We plan to grow more of our own food and compost the leftovers.

I’m helping our local Grange go green by starting a recycling program, removing chemicals from the Grange Hall, and of course, welcoming hemp and cannabis farmers.

I intend to grow the six plants allotted, and I’m throwing out all my black Carhartts for green jeans.

This year will be my best achievement toward a greener future.

Carrying reusable straws, using refillable water jugs and reusable shopping bags, and downsizing our garbage can service to the smallest size. We recently bought our first home and are excited to plant a big food garden this year!

After years of being an aggressive consumer, I’m reducing my consumption habits by 1) sprucing up my holidays with real trees, 2) recycled clothing: saving the world one outfit at a time, and 3) winning…compost binning.

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THE BUZZ

COLLEGE CONFECTIONISTA

Get Back in the Game Baskin boasts CBD for athletes.

In the sea of CBD options, Baskin’s CBD product, according to the company, delivers “SoCo Style” cheesecakes support college dreams. 18 percent more CBD to the human body than does its competitiors, and its all-natural, long-lasting, breathable formulation is ideal for active adults.

“Our crop comes from various states.

Regardless of legally grown resources, the CBD used is broad spectrum and derived from hemp,” says Maikel van de Mortel of Lighthouse Strategies (the parent company of Baskin). “Each batch that we create is accompanied by a COA [certificate of analysis], which is key, as this allows consumers to see exactly what they buy and where it comes from. We use a special QR code to make our COAs accessible to the consumer.”

Baskin’s selling points include superior binding technology that keeps the cream bonded to the skin through washing, rubbing, or sweating; controlled release of the CBD over a prolonged period; a formulation free of alcohol, parabens, waxes, or other solvents; and a patented formula that lets an athlete’s skin breathe and retain its natural moisAs an 18-year-old senior at El Molino High School this past year, Anamaría Morales decided to invest in her future by launching Col- ture. With its market saturation and all the lege Confectionista, a micro-cheesecake bakery in Sonoma County. rhetoric around CBD’s actual effectiveness for In the years since, she has built a cult following for her classic and sports recovery, few brands have patented creative cheesecakes, all while graduating from Santa Rosa Junior CBD personal-care items the way Baskin has.

Baskin’s sport recovery cream harnesses 300 College and transferring to Cal Berkeley. A business and rhetoric mg of CBD to create the most targeted and major, Morales studies hard when school is in session but takes effective solution, without slowing you down plenty of breaks for baking.

“Coming from a low-income Latino family, I needed to think creatively or taking you out of the game. about how I was going to fund my higher education,” she explains.

Baskin sport recovery cream / 300 mg CBD / $50 / baskinessentials.com Today, Morales has a following in Berkeley but keeps her North Bay customers happy with regular service to Sonoma. Follow her on Facebook or Instagram to see fun cheesecake flavors inspired by holidays and the seasonal produce of Sonoma County. Made with organic ingredients and farm-fresh eggs, Morales's classic “SoCo Style” cheesecake is always on the menu.

Eventually, Morales hopes to expand College Confectionista into a nonprofit organization that provides aid to low-income Latinas in college. “Imagine Girl Scout cookies gone cheesecake,” she says.

Each 9-inch cheesecake is $40 and serves 10–12 people. To order, send a direct message to @collegeconfectionista on Facebook or Instagram, or text 707-495-5324.

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CBN for Zzz TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

Sleep is a vital sign of health and well-being, and I’m an insomniac— have been for as long as I’ve been an adult. I’m also a magazine junkie, so every month I read 20

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another article about the importance of restful shut-eye and tips to help me achieve it. And I’ve tried them all, to no avail.

I bought blackout curtains, a white noise

machine, and an eye mask. Never much of a coffee drinker, I cut out any remaining caffeine (and became less aggro, but that’s a different story for another issue). I

avoided electronics for an hour before getting into bed; I did nightly wind-down bedtime rituals; I only got into bed when it was time to sleep; I left my devices

PHOTO BY NATA NYTIAGA, SHUTTERSTOCK

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

in the other room. I even got my dog a heated bed that she preferred over sleeping with me. I tried all these things, but sleep still evaded me.

A brief period of reprieve followed my move to Colorado, as I began experimenting with cannabis as a sleep aid. If I smoked a little before bed, I’d fall asleep only to wake up an hour or so later when the effects had worn off. I tried edibles, which helped me fall asleep and stay asleep for hours. After a few nights in a row of some solid sleep, I remember waking up feeling rested and thinking I had found my miracle cure. But then my tolerance started building, and 5 mg wasn’t doing the trick. Then 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, and next thing I’d be lying in the dark, high and paranoid all night long. Even if I got some decent sleep, I was waking up foggy.

For so many people, cannabis works as an invaluable sleep aid with little to no side effects. That wasn’t the case with me.

Enter CBD. A few years ago, CBD was nowhere; now it’s everywhere. Almost literally. Walk into a convenience store, and boom! CBD gummies by the register. CBD water in the refrigerator. Wander into Sephora, and CBD

serums, body lotions, and moisturizers await. Drive down Denver’s I-25 and you’ll see stores dedicated to the cannabinoid. Check my inbox, and you’ll be overwhelmed by a thousand unread emails from PR agencies and agents announcing the launch of a new CBD brand or the release of a first-of-itskind cannabidiol product.

And those are only from the last six months.

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

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

Since you’re reading Sensi, I’m going to assume I’m not telling you anything new. So far. But have you heard about CBN? Cannabinol, or CBN, is one of more than a hundred cannabinoids that have been identified in the cannabis plant.

My anecdotal evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again.

I’m feeling better than I have basically ever. A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

THC and CBD are the two that garner all the attention, and they are the most dominant. A lesser cannabinoid, CBN was actually the first one scientists discovered in the 1940s. It occurs in cannabis in much smaller doses until the plant ages and oxidizes, which causes THC to convert to CBN. And it’s about to get its turn in the spotlight.

Since the FDA classified cannabis as a Schedule I drug in the same category as heroin during the 1970s, researchers have been prevented from studying the plant’s medicinal potential. While that’s changing, there’s a lot of catching up to do, so double-blind, controlled studies and clinical trials have yet to be completed. But anecdotal evidence is in, and CBN is being touted as an all-natural cure for insomnia by cannabis experts and outlets. So, when I saw emails with CBN in the subject line hit my inbox, I didn’t leave them unread. Instead I reached out and asked to try the product being pitched so I could offer my own anecdotal accounts of CBN as a cure for insomnia.

Two months and a lot of full nights of sleep later, my anecdotS U M M E R 2020

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THE LIFE

aromatic notes of cedarwood, black pepper, and California pine, the Sleep formula is proven to help calm the mind and encourage deep, restorative sleep.

All Mineral products are organically grown on a small farm in Colorado that averages a limited run of only four harvests a year.

No cannabinoid acting independently will express the benefit experienced when consuming the whole plant, so Mineral utilizes the hemp plant in its entirety— stalks, stems, and buds— maximizing the omega fatty acids and vitamins in their extraction process. To keep the product consistent, the brand identified formula-specific seeds from Oregon that produce plants with characteristics incumbent to accomplish the targeted benefits of the MINERAL products.

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CBN, coupled with soft

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al evidence is in: CBN helps me fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up rested time and again. I’ve incorporated the cannabinoid into my daily routine, and I’m feeling better than I have basically ever. It’s amazing what a little sleep can do.

A whole month with full nights of sleep feels like a miracle.

Don’t just believe me; try it yourself. Like every drug, CBN affects everybody differently.

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lief, result from gentle full-flower extraction from organically grown Colorado hemp for a complete cannabinoid profile. Other beneficial ingredients include reishi mushrooms, oatstraw, and ashwagandha $160 for 60 servings mineralhealth.co for positive mood and support of the nervous Prismatic Plants Good and immune systems; Night Tincture skullcap for stress and How they describe it: muscle-tension relief; Formulated with CBN and valerian root (a.k.a and calming adaptogens, nature’s Valium), Calthis nighttime formula ifornia poppy, and lavpromotes deep sleep and ender for anxiety and boosts immunity during insomnia relief. These the body’s overnight re- pure, effective, safe inpair mode. Its long-term gredients are formulated effects include a return to provide immediate to a natural circadian relief and continually rhythm, enhanced imenhance health through munity, improved repro- long-term use. ductive health, and more $70 for a month’s supply prismaticplants.com energy during the day.

The tincture is made with an adaptogenic blend of CBD, CBN, medicinal mushrooms, and organic herbs. The CBD, for overall health and stress relief, and CBN for insomnia re-

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THE LIFE WELLNESS

Digital Declutter Rekindle a relationship with yourself by checking out digitally.

“I feel like my brain is waking up,” I wrote in my journal on day six. Less than a week into what I’ll call my 31-day “digital declutter,” I simultaneously felt like I was losing my mind and finding a better one. I was trading up. In searching for strategies to go minimal with technology, I found an abundance of everything else I had been missing: a rediscovery of how to 24

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listen to the inner voice instead of sacrificing solitude to become a sponge for everything else. In our current instant-gratification economy, how do we use technology to our advantage without losing ourselves in the process?

As a small-business owner with hobbies and a social life, I often found myself challenged by the time-management dilemma. We all seem

to be rushing yet perpetually unsatisfied. We have more technology now than ever, and we’re promised endless value from tools like social media. Technology is meant to provide simplicity, community, efficiency, and, ultimately, happiness in our overstimulated lives. Yet, so often, we find ourselves feeling short on time and increasingly anxious about it.

Today in the United States, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses, affecting around one in five people, with millennials being the most anxious generation ever. A study of almost seven million people in the US found that depressive symptoms have only risen since the 1980s. Some argue that the increase is simply because everyone

PHOTO BY JACOB LUND, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT LIZ WILSON

THE LIFE WELLNESS

PHOTO BY YULIA, ADOBE STOCK

is more aware of anxiety and depression, so more likely to diagnose it. Others claim that the culprit is our societal shift from intrinsic goals that reflect core values to a priority on materialism and individual gain.

Personally, I suspected that the pressure to be constantly available and social was a major factor in my looming anxiety.

Over the course of six months, I tracked every minute of my technology use in order to prepare myself for the big declutter. My data showed that for roughly 40 hours a month, I was engaged with what I now consider to be unnecessary distractions: social media,

texting, email, and internet surfing, among other time-sucking apps. Upon self-reflection, I discovered that none of this screen time helped me feel relaxed, happier, or able to spend more time on meaningful activities within my community.

With the help of computer science professor Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism, I adopted “a philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and happily miss out on everything else.” Think of it as the Whole30 diet for your mind.

We get tricked into shorting ourselves by the constant feed of digital consumption...

We all seem to be rushing yet perpetually unsatisfied.

After 31 days alone in my head, one thing became clear to me: Spending time with technology isn’t inherently bad, but spending zero time without it prevents us from formulating original thoughts, ideas, and innovations. We get tricked into shorting ourselves by the constant feed of digital consumption. According to RescueTime, an app that monitors iPhone and Android use, Americans with smartphone devices spend about 3.5 hours per day actively using them. I’ll do the math for you— that’s over 24 hours per week. Clearly, the problem isn’t that we’re short on time, but we’ve figured out a way to fill every second, therefore eliminating solitude and precious time for reflection and restoration.

As the shock, boredom, and panic of my digital detox wore off, I adjusted to a new concept of time that was seemingly half its previous pace.

I settled in to just being me. I left work at work and social time to actually being around other people. Using technology minimally, in a way that supports my values, has proven to be a priceless lesson in this overstimulated world. It’s also opened up much more time for me to go live.

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THE LIFE

A B O U T T H E AU T H O R

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

AUGUST HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

laxing into the feminine viLEO bration) will benefit you in Stress is caused by your ex- many ways. Allow yourself pectations of other people to be recognized for your this month. If you just accept uniqueness. the fact that you’ll have to do all the work without resent- OCT. 23–NOV. 21 ing or expecting anything, SCORPIO everything will be fine.

No other sign has the ability to get as deep into a soul AUG. 23–SEPT. 22 like you. You will experience VIRGO some epiphany-like insights No coasting, you will miss this month. The most draout on a major opportunity. matic of which will be your Follow up with anything that intimate connection to the secures your future comknowledge of the Universe. fort. Awareness to detail will avoid any misunderstandNOV. 22–DEC. 21 ings with those who will con- SAGITTARIUS tribute to your success.

You’ve been working hard and feeling unappreciated. The isSEPT. 23–OCT. 22 sue is not the work you’re proLIBRA ducing; it’s that your heart is Be prepared to get attention not in it. That’s why you’re not from people you don’t know getting the acclaim and recnow. The vibration of conognition you want. It’s not the necting with women (and re- place; it’s you.

JULY 23–AUG. 22

DEC. 22–JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

August calls for joyful seriousness of the things important to you. It doesn’t matter if you’re building tables for squirrels or changing the world. A casual awareness for your love of life draws more loving.

JAN. 20–FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

A happy did-the-work breakthrough month for you! That project or idea is ready to go full fledge out there right now. What’s so cool is that you get to do this in a relaxed, “I know it’ll be fabulous” vibration…and it will!

FEB. 19–MARCH 20

PISCES

So last month was sort of sucky because you had to resolve to honor your worth

LEO, IF YOU JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU’LL HAVE TO DO ALL THE WORK WITHOUT RESENTING OR EXPECTING ANYTHING, EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.

and dump what wasn’t working. A sign from the Universe this month validates why you had to set this new standard.

thing. The Universe is speaking to you.

MAY 21–JUNE 20

GEMINI

Do not allow yourself to MARCH 21–APRIL 19 be short-changed, comproARIES mised, or cheapened. Stay Be aware that you are always strong in your worth and connected to spiritual purauthenticity. The right oppose and guidance. Take noth- portunity is about to presing for granted and be delight- ent itself. fully ready when coincidence JUNE 21–JULY 22 prompts you to action.

CANCER

APRIL 20–MAY 20

TAURUS

As soon as you relax into your direct connection with Spirit, everything shifts for you. You do not need (or want) to do things the way anyone else does some-

This is not an action month.

What is meant for you will just come to you. No chasing after what you want.

It’s a time of concentrating on what brings you a sense of peace, harmony, and contentment.

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Founder Annie Holman at the Galley Santa Rosa

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Annie Holman sets sail at the Galley.

TEXT JONAH RASKIN

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GALLEY

T

his past year has not been smooth sailing for the Galley, the super streamlined cannabis manufacturing and distribution company, which was originally slated to open at the end of 2019.

CEO Annie Holman, who might be called the “mermaid of marijuana,” had to deal with seismic issues in infrastructure, along with the ever-shifting tides of state regulations. Plus COVID-19 hit like a tsunami and changed almost everyone’s schedule and habits, including Holman’s. Supply chains were affected, plus health and safety measures had to be put in place.

Now, finally the Galley is up and running in Santa Rosa and ready to manufacture cannabis products and to secure shelf space for them at dispensaries. The demand is bigger than ever before—in large part because cannabis has helped eased anxiety and enabled consumers to chill. Consumers have been voting

with their pocketbooks. Clearly they want more. That’s where the Galley has a big role to play.

Holman named her venture the Galley because she comes from what she calls a “fishy background.” Indeed, her family members worked in the lobster business in Maine, where the crustaceans are a big part of the economy and the culture.

The public face of the company, Holman is also the master of marketing, operating mostly behind the scenes. She doesn’t cultivate and harvest cannabis, but rather manufactures and co-manufactures with her partners an array of tinctures, edibles, topicals, salves, gummies, pre-rolls, and more.

The task that takes the most time, Holman explains, is counting gummies, putting them into bags, and sealing them. It’s labor intensive and can’t be done by machine, at least not yet.

During the pandemic, the demand for cannabis products, espe-

cially gummies, has soared. Fortunately, Sonoma County and the state of California deemed cannabis industry workers “essential” to the economy. If that hadn’t happened, consumers would have suffered from lack of access to the plant—in the months that lie ahead, it seems likely that things will settle down, while the doors for experimentation will open even wider than before. Holman invites ganjapreneurs to bring their dreams to the Galley. “We’ll work out the kinks,” she says.

Not long ago, on a tour of the 8,300-square-foot space on Sebastopol Road, once occupied by North Coast Fisheries, it looked as if a great deal of work still loomed ahead. “Not so,” says Holman.

“It’s just painting and cleanup.”

The vast space, which is broken down into distinct areas, includes a testing lab, commercial kitchen, industrial-sized pantry, packing room, and a comfortable lounge where employees can take a break.

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THE GALLEY

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There is also an event center that will make possible Holman’s plans to educate the public about the medicinal and recreational benefits of cannabis. Holman thinks of the Galley as a floating campus.

She’s a perennial optimist. Her mantra is “go slow, go small, go steady,” which might be translated into that ubiquitous and all-encompassing word, “sustainability.” For Holman, it means several things: fair wages and health benefits for employees; sourcing local and organic ingredients; and the efficient use of water and other

resources. To be truly sustainable, a business also has to make money, Holman explains.

Given the Galley’s ambitious charter for the year ahead, Holman know she’ll have to pace herself. “Sometimes when I arrive for work, I sit in my car and get my head together before going into the building,” she says. “I have to be in a good space so I can help everyone else.” At the Galley, Holman plays the role of peacemaker. “If there’s an issue, I listen to all sides and persuade people to meet somewhere in the middle,” she explains.

Before launching her cannabis venture, she visited dozens of dispensaries and tried out a variety of products, hoping to find some that worked for her needs and preferenc-

es. In some ways she felt out of her comfort zone. After all, lobsters, not flowers were in her family tree.

“I didn’t know precisely what I was looking for and spent too much money,” Holman remembers. For a long time, the name of the game for many consumers, especially guys, was, ‘How high can I get for the least amount of money.’ In today’s marketplace, with its growing consumer base and more elders using cannabis to be healthy, Holman explains that if dispensaries are to be sustainable they’ll have to offer experiences that help customers connect to products and services.

When she looks ahead she sees blue skies for the Galley and the whole cannabis world. “I tell people to hang in there,” she says.

“Things will get better. Pot consumers around the country will know Sonoma cannabis as well as they know Sonoma wine.”

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lis s b BODY MADE FOR

Do you know you have an endocannabinoid system?

You do. Your self is full of cellular receptors that bind with the active ingredients in cannabis known as cannabinoids.

So why have we just now started to hear about it?

TEXT LELAND RUCKER PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS JOSH CLARK

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O

ne thing I’ve noticed over the years, when talking with my cannabis-using friends, is that they are more likely to say it makes them feel “normal” rather than “stoned.” I generally answer that “it keeps me balanced” or something

ORIGINAL PHOTO BY CHARLIE, ADOBE STOCK

s along those lines. I would never say that about other mind-altering substances (alcohol, for instance), and it’s at least one reason millions of us keep coming back for more.

But why do so many people who use cannabis feel that way? A couple of years ago, I began reading about

something called the endocannabinoid system, a regulating procedure within the body that works in much the same way cannabis does. My bs detector turned bright red. Yeah, right. Even for an advocate, that seemed a little too much to swallow, a little too good to be true.

There is much evidence that cannabis, or what’s in cannabis, has been used to treat symptoms of human illnesses, disorders, and diseases in many cultures for centuries and that it was a standard pharmaceutical product in the United States. Today, after decades of lies

This article was originally published in Sensi Denver/Boulder August 2017 edition

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from the government and popular culture’s continuing depiction of marijuana users as inept “stoners,” we’re finding that ordinary people are using cannabis for pain, arthritis, and muscle relief and—surprise—just to relax. But why?

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in cannabis plants, more than a hundred different ones so far. For the most part, no other plant accumulates them quite like cannabis, and these cannabinoids provide the plant with everything from pest resistance to relief from the sun’s UV rays. The most recognized are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), known for its psychoactive properties, and cannabidiol (CBD), recognized for its medical applications. “Many people have tried THC and CBD. Those are called phytocannabinoids,” says biochemist Samantha Miller, founder of Pure Analytics, a cannabis testing facility in California.

Scientists have also discovered cannabinoids that are produced naturally in the body. Called endocannabinoids, they have structures similar to phytocannabinoids. Raphael Mechoulam, William Devane, and Dr. Lumir Hanus found the first endocannabinoid and called it anandamide after the Sanskrit word for bliss, in 1992, and later found another, called 2-arachidonoylglycero, or 2-AG. So far, so good. In 1988, scientists found receptors in all mammals that respond to cannabinoids, CB-1 receptors found in the brain and CB-2 receptors found throughout the body. These endocannabinoids hook up with these receptors. In biochemistry, it’s called the “lock-and-key” model, where the cannabinoid molecules act like

this natural architecture to interact with cannabinoids,” Miller says.

“You find these all over the body, in the nervous system, the immune system, everywhere. The endocannabinoids control and influence a lot of different things, like sleep, appetite, anxiety, addiction, the cardiovascular system, immune system—everything to do with quality of life.”

Perry Solomon is the former chief medical officer at HelloMD, a popular wellness website with a growing number of patients using cannabis.

He describes the endocannabinoid system as a feedback mechanism that helps keep the body in equilibrium. “When you get excessive stimulation, pain, emotions, or bad experiences, chemicals are released that can overwhelm the body,” he says. “Endocannabinoids are a way to keep the body in balance.”

There are literally thousands of —Perry Solomon, HelloMD research papers and studies around the world on cannabinoids. But cannabis research remains a somewhat arcane branch of science in the United States, which, under the “keys” that fit into the CB receptor auspices of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, until recently would “locks.” When the CB receptor is fund only projects that were aimed “unlocked” by a particular cannaat the abuse side of the equation. binoid, it changes its shape, and US researchers still encounter how it changes shape determines how it regulates cell signaling (how bureaucratic hassles, lack of adequate study product, and the fact cells communicate within themthat cannabis remains a Schedule selves and how they communicate I drug, which by definition means with other cells). From a chemical standpoint, THC is structurally it has no medical purpose. “Consimilar to anandamide, and CBD is ventional medicine traditionally has concentrated on opioids,” says comparable to 2-AG. THC “unDr. Selma Holden, a physician and locks” the CB-1 receptor in almost assistant clinical professor at the the same way anandamide does, and CBD “unlocks” the CB-2 recep- University of New England. But even US scientists and doctors are tor much like 2-AG. beginning to recognize that some“The reason we interact with cannabis so strongly is that we have thing’s going on.

“WHEN YOU GET EXCESSIVE STIMULATION, PAIN, EMOTIONS, OR BAD EXPERIENCES, CHEMICALS ARE RELEASED THAT CAN OVERWHELM THE BODY. ENDOCANNABINOIDS ARE A WAY TO KEEP THE BODY IN BALANCE."

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“Historically, people just thought cannabis was something that got you high and concentrated on the THC. Because of medical-marijuana efforts and a little increase in evidence, they’re starting to come around,” she explains. “And more patients are turning to their medical doctors and saying, ‘this stuff works for me.’”

As recently as 2017, the University of Vermont was the only medical school in the country with an accredited course on the endocannabinoid system in its curriculum. “The people who should know about it aren’t taught it in medical school,” says Solomon, and he understands some doctors’ initial reluctance to deal with the endocannabinoid system. “Until doctors come out and become familiar with what’s involved in the system, there’s a hesitancy.”

Oncologists, who already know it helps relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, are among the leading edge of physicians beginning to take cannabis seriously, and other specialists are looking into cannabinoid alternatives, Solomon says. “A recent National Academies of Science study found that cannabinoids are being used to treat chronic pain in adults, and it does work,” he says. “So anesthesiologists are saying, ‘Maybe this is something we should look at.’”

Holden says that some of the most exciting research today concerns cannabinoids’ anti-inflammatory qualities. “When you think of it, a lot of diseases, not all of them, have an inflammation component,” she says. “In dementia, in asthma, it’s all inflammation. That’s what’s interesting about the endocannabinoid system. It’s influencing these inflammation markers.”

“WE CAN'T FALL TOO MUCH INTO THE BELIEF SYSTEM THAT HAVING AN ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS BAD." —Dr. Selma Holden, University of New England

Much of the research is being done at the behest of drug companies eager to create new products from cannabinoids and able to afford the expensive re-search needed for approval. GW Pharmaceuticals has developed a couple of cannabidiol products to combat epilepsy, and its Epidiolex was approved by the FDA in 2018 for the treatment of seizures—the first cannabis plant-derived medicine ever approved by the FDA. Arizona company Insys Therapeutics recently received preliminary DEA approval for a synthetic cannabis drug called Syndros. (The company also contributed to the successful effort to stop a marijuana legalization initiative in that state last year.)

Much of the emphasis on cannabis healing these days is concentrated around CBD and marketed for its non-psychoactive effects. Hold-

en cautions that if someone is using cannabis for a chronic condition like back pain or Crohn’s disease, the feeling of elevation can be an important part of the therapy, too.

“We can’t fall too much into the belief system that having an altered state of consciousness is bad.”

And that gets us back to where we began. That altered state of consciousness that has offered me and so many people a feeling of relaxation, of being in a place where they can be creative and focused or as a way to deal with common maladies. “Our brains are ideally suited for cannabis,” Chris Kilham, an author and ethnobiologist who studies plant-based remedies as the Medicine Hunter on Fox News, told me. “There’s no substance other than water that has the health benefits and continued significance of those benefits.”

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How to help our local honeybees survive.

TEXT ELIZABETH ARCHER

“How are the bees?” It’s a common refrain we hear as beekeepers. People are genuinely concerned, not just because they love honey, but because they understand the local and global impact of a decimated pollinator population.

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The answer is ... not great. Average colony losses now range from 40 to 60 percent each year, which means that for every 100 hives, 40 to 60 are expected to die.

This is a far cry from the 10–20 percent loss beekeepers used to expect.

Many people don’t realize that honeybees are livestock: Commercial beekeepers breed new bees every year to replace the lost populations. It’s expensive, so beekeepers have to find ways to finance replacing half our hives annually. But for

PHOTO BY SUSHAAA / ADOBE STOCK

State of the Bees

non-beekeepers, the good news is that the honeybee will never go extinct.

The same can’t be said for other pollinators like the mighty bumblebee, tiny sweat bee, and all the bees in between, plus moths, butterflies and bats. These pollinators aren’t commercially valuable, so they don’t get the same media attention. But research shows that all pollinators are suffering the same population losses.

PHOTO BY BIGBLUESTUDIO / ADOBE STOCK

HOW TO HELP Buy local honey. The absolute best way to support your local beekeeper is to buy their honey.

Will it be more expensive than what you’d find at Safeway or Costco?

Undoubtedly. But the extra expense is worth it, not only to support a local business, but for your own health. Local honey is typically raw and unfiltered, which means you’ll get all the antibacterial, antimicrobial, and allergy-fighting benefits honey has to offer. Grocery store honey is almost never raw and is often adulterated with cheap syrup—it’s cheap for a reason.

Plant seeds and flowers not treated with pesticides. Many seeds and flowers are treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which you’d never know because it’s not disclosed on the label.

This class of pesticide is incredibly harmful to pollinators. A foolproof way to ensure your flowers are helping the pollinator population is to buy organic seeds and starts. It’s also ideal to go to a local nursery where they are likely to know if and how suppliers use pesticides and can help you pick plants that pollinators will love.

Let part of your yard grow wild. Most

non-honeybee pollinators are solitary, and lots of them make their homes in or near the ground. By leaving part of your yard untended, you’re creating habitat.

Another option is to mow less frequently, giving bees time to enjoy all the clover that pops up. If you have a larger, unirrigated area like a field, you are probably familiar with the much-maligned star thistle. But for all the haters out there, know this—bees love star thistle. It offers critical late-season forage and makes delicious honey. Other bee-friendly flowers that grow in untended places include blackberry, mustard, and vetch.

Create a bee-friendly watering hole. Pollinators need water and will drink it wherever they can find it, including from sources that aren’t good for them, like chlorinated pools (where they often drown). Help them out by providing clean water with safe places to land. Bird fountains with rocks protruding above the surface work well, but anything that holds water will do!

Many ways exist to improve the plight of pollinators. Organizations like Pollinator Pathway, Pollinator Partnership, and others

are working to create habitat and reduce the threats pollinators face.

In California’s Central Valley, almond growers are partnering with government and private agencies to plant hedgerows with early-blooming varietals to give the

bees a boost before the almond bloom every February.

The impact of climate change on bees is dire, but you can do your part by being a little lazy with the lawn mower and eating as much local honey as your heart desires.

Hive Minds Learn, volunteer, or find local honey with these organizations: The Sonoma County Beekeepers Association gives members access to its library of educational resources on equipment, queens, sourcing bees, and honey. It also works in local schools and community groups to educate young and old on the importance of bees. sonomabees.org

The Beekeepers of Napa Valley successfully lobbied to the County Planning Commission to drop code violations for backyard beekeeping to promote responsible beekeeping throughout Napa County. Today, the group is active in “building community one hive at a time.” beekeepersofnapavalley.org

The Marin County Beekeepers meet monthly to share information on bee biology, pollination, international beekeeping, and breeding.

Members work closely with the Marin Master Gardeners to support flower and bee-friendly gardens throughout the county. marinbeekeepers.org

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THE SCENE A R O U N D T OW N

Headline Goes Here Lorem ipsum quam que dolor res.

TEXT AUTHOR A. PERSON

Check Back in Time Enjoy luxury amenities in retro style at Guerneville’s Boon Hotel + Spa. TEXT DAWN GARCIA

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BOON

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THE SCENE A R O U N D T OW N

ly towns on the West Coast. Even the local churches are adorned with rainbows.

Like most of California, Guerneville has had its share of ups and downs. But at the end of the day, it’s a city of love that invites visitors to take a restorative break from the Bay Area grind.

Staying at the understated luxury of Boon Hotel + Spa, we couldn’t help but find ourselves sleeping in and staying out late with the colorful locals.

Arriving at Boon, you can’t miss the designated chef’s garden and chicken coop that supply Boon Eat + Drink next door with fresh produce and eggs.

With a strong mid-century flair, the boutique hotel features 14 simple and pristine rooms inspired by the 1960s. Technology-free with the exception Known as both a sumsmall-town feel. As you ists, architects, designmer tourist destination enter town, population ers, chefs, visionaries— of the Crosley turntable, and Haight-Ashbury off- 4,534, the signs immedi- these are the people the decor is romantic yet shoot, Sonoma County’s ately let you know that of Guerneville, which modern with a sophistiGuerneville offers a mix everyone is welcome happens to be one of the cated simplicity.

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MULTI-USE LICENSED

CANNABIS PROPERTY!

• Site-specific EIR completed on this 30 acres in Trinity County • County and State Licenses in hand for 10,000 sf Mixed-Light Cannabis Cultivation (applications submitted for 30k MORE sf!)

• County and State Licenses in hand for Cannabis Nursery • County and State Licenses in hand for Cannabis Distribution

• County and State Licenses in hand for Cannabis Non-Storefront Retail • County and State Licenses in hand for Type 7 Volatile Manufacturing • Affordable TPUD 3-PHASE power ON SITE with 2,000 AMPS • New 32'x100' metal shop w/ spray-foam insulation for Manufacturing/Processing

• Four 24'x48' greenhouses with dehumidifiers, wet walls, and heaters • 35'x300' graded pad ready for cultivation expansion to 40k sf • 2 Bedroom 1 Bath home, guest cabin, multiple outbuildings and storage containers • Seller Financing Available!

• Asking price $5m

It’s important to WORK WITH LEADERS, NOT FOLLOWERS in the cannabis real estate market!

Why chose TOP Properties?

• Specializing in cannabis properties for long before the regulations/licensing, evolving with the industry • Familiar with, and knowledgeable about local and state regulations for cannabis property use • We have the experience, knowledge, honesty, and skills to facilitate the successful sale of cannabis properties • Thorough understanding of what buyers want and need in a cannabis property • We RESPECT cannabis and those leading the industry to a more positive and sustainable future

office 530.628.4422 fax 530.628.4423 toppteam@trinityopp.com ANGELA RIGGS REALTOR®/Manager cell/text 530-510-1849 angela@trinityopp.com

VISIT OUR CANNAPAGE AT

www.trinityopp.com Also find us on IG @trinity_cannabiz DRE# 01392745

SUMMER BASHORE Broker/Owner cell/text 707.496.4045 summer@trinityopp.com

THE SCENE A R O U N D T OW N

and getting settled, we saunter over to the honor bar that features tangerine-colored barstools, a fully stocked fridge, and a secretary desk-turned-bar. After fi xing ourselves a drink, we jot down the alcohol we consume along with our room number. It’s refreshing to be treated like an adult, and an honor bar makes you feel even more at home.

Experimenting with a local tequila, lime, and hot sauce, my friend creates a spicy citrus margarita and gets horizontal next to the

pool. After a swim, we light the candles in our in-room fi re hearth and then melt into bed for a long night’s rest.

The next morning, we wake to a knock on our sliding patio door— breakfast is served. We take our basket of fresh coffee, oatmeal, berries, yogurt parfaits, biscuits, and local jam outside to enjoy under the warming sunshine.

Time spent in Guerneville is a reminder that it’s possible for life to slow down and inspire.

Boon is a place of solace and a gentle reminder to breathe, socialize, and enjoy the gift of time.

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SPARXLABS.NET | LICENSE # C11-0000972-LIC | @SPARXLABS

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Empty Calendar What to do when there’s nothing to do.

PHOTO BY LOLOSTOCK, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT SENSI EDITORS

The dog days of summer are upon us. In our modern lexicon, that popular term has dual meanings: 1) the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer occurs in the Northern Hemisphere;

2) a period of stagnation or inactivity.

In 2020, the dog days of summer were mauled by the pandemic, which continues to force people around the globe to endure lengthy periods of inactivity. But just because travel dreams were

dashed this year doesn’t mean you can’t take your mind to new places. Here are some quick suggestions about ways to fill the long days ahead.

Get Lost in a Good Book Because your brain can’t take any. more. Netflix.

And you can’t take any more…well, anything.

As the Book of Disquiet author Fernando Pessoa wrote, “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life.”

Not much of a reader? No problem. Trevor Noah, Jamie Lee Curtis, S U M M E R 2020

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Elevate. Pamper. Rejuvenate.

Flamingo Resort SONOMA COUNTY

PHOTO CREDITS (FROM TOP): SOMEMEANS, ADOBE STOCK / ALFA27, ADOBE STOCK

Mariah Carey, Kevin Bacon, Alicia Silverstone, James McAvoy, and so many other leading performers can do the reading. All you’ve got to do is listen, which you can do while going about your day. Or while not going anywhere: your call.

A 2018 University College London study showed that listening to audiobooks is more emotionally engaging than watching TV and movies—findings consistent across all demographics regardless of the genre.

Audible is your go-to source for premium offerings available on demand

If you haven’t already done the Audible free trial, what better time than now to take advantage of the deal: 60-day free trial plus two free audiobooks, then $14.95 for one credit per month, good for any book regardless of price, and you can cancel anytime .

Got a library card?

Download the Libby app, which allows you to borrow and read ebooks and audiobooks from your local public library for free. Don’t have a library card? Well now you have something else to do right now when there’s not a whole lot to do.

Make (Bad?) Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City may be temporarily closed (as of press time), but its website, moma.org, invites you to experience the world through its artistic lens.

Take in the Virtual Views by exploring NYC architecture online. Listen to hours of art-inspired music on summer playlists curated by MoMa staffers. From artists’ musical inspirations to cinema soundtracks to the “alien” sounds of the avant-garde, the museum’s Spotify playlists include one dedicated

to the music of Miró; The “Rosanne Cash, the River, and the Thread” includes some thoughts the singer-songwriter shared about weaving, making art, and writing music—and made a playlist to accompany the exhibition. The set featuring songs about and inspired by works of art sets the perfect soundtrack to an afternoon spent engrossed in any of the museum’s free online courses, including “Fashion as Design” and “Postwar Abstract Painting,” taught through online portal Coursera (coursera.org/moma).

QUARANTINE LISTENING PARTY Our editor in chief Stephanie Wilson ranks the seven novels she “read” during shutdown.

7. Trust Exercise

by Susan Choi 6. Men Without Women

by Huraki Murakami 5. Writers & Lovers

by Lily King 4. Normal People

by Sally Rooney 3. Rodham

by Curtis Sittenfeld 2. All Adults Here

by Emma Straub 1. Weather

by Jenny Offill

“We have art so that we shall not die of reality.”

—Friedrich Nietzsche

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E GARDEN SOCIETY

Not Your GardenVariety Tea Party

without the hoop skirts. For Garden Society, it’s all about breaking down the stigma and completely redefining cannabis for women.

Each party is held in a different “We strive host’s home, where a dozen to 30 for women guests can gather in a comfortable to accept setting. For every event, the compaand ny brings a full array of noninfused products (it’s illegal to bring fullexplore strength ones) and a host of eduthe joy that cational materials. As the evening cannabis mothers and entrepreneurs, the two progresses, guests learn about the can bring women have created a line of products differences between CBD and THC, that are easy to ingest and fun to share gain an understanding about different into one’s with others. Artisan crafted cannadosing methods, and spend an evening life.” bis-infused chocolates and gelées, immersed in the world of cannabis in a along with full flower pre-rolls, which nonthreatening and fun-filled space.

—Karli Warner, they coined “Rosettes,” come packaged As the cannabis industry grows co-founder of Garden in beautiful containers with simple in California and more folks learn Society instructions for use. about the positive effects that can Since 2017, as part of their mission be gained from the plant, the women to educate others to the positives of behind the Garden Society will be cannabis, Warner and Gore have been there to lead the way. hosting Garden Parties each month throughout Sonoma and surrounding counties. The events are social meetups, but they also offer cannabis Garden Society education. They’re modern versions Women-Owned Cannabis Company of the 1950s Tupperware parties, but thegardensociety.com

Two pioneering entrepreneurs are redefining cannabis for women in California.

F

rom the moment it opened for business, Sonoma County’s Garden Society has sought to demystify and deliver a positive cannabis experience to everyone, but especially women.

“We realized that there was a stigma surrounding the plant, especially among women, that needed to be addressed,” says Karli Warner, co-founder of Garden Society. “We strive for women to accept and explore the joy that cannabis can bring into one’s life.”

Warner and co-founder Erin Gore are able to create quality products and start conversations that help break down the barriers that many women may feel when approaching cannabis. As both

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E SWEET RELEAF

Help for Pain without the High

relief is the cannabis it sources for all of its products. Its sustainably cultivated and extracted whole-plant cannabis comes from small, independent farms. That ensures products contain only sun-grown cannabis, with pure ingredients that are never treated with chemicals.

In addition to its regular Comfort body butter, Sweet Releaf also makes Comfort Plus, an extra-strength version that offers deep relief for chronic “Through pain within minutes. Sweet Releaf recently introduced an on-the-go roll- our own bring comfort to those who are on ayurvedic formulation it calls Take experiences, challenged with pain.”

Comfort Dry Oils. It uses a proprietary we have Conceived and created after spending blend of cannabis and internationally discovered many hours in a family kitchen, the com- recognized essential oils for pain our pany’s signature Comfort line of deeply and inflammation. These oils can be soothing body butters significantly reduc- applied quickly and easily, have an mission of es pain for most people using it. A blend elegant aroma, and fit in a purse or developing of natural oils, butters, and aloe vera, pocket. The ayurvedic formulation effective along with full-spectrum, terpene-rich helps the body gently regulate temcannabis (in a 14:1 THC:CBD ratio), perature and restores healthy balance products that bring Sweet Releaf is one of the most potent to the afflicted area. and effective high-THC topicals on the Pain should not be a barrier to a full comfort California regulated market. Best of all, life, and Sweet Releaf is working to to those its whipped formulation nourishes skin ensure that. who are as it’s absorbed. The body butters deliver challenged pain relief without a high and leave little residue—something few other products with pain.” can claim.

Sweet Releaf Part of the brand’s commitment to —Didi Davis, Sweet Topical Pain Management Releaf founder producing the best topicals for pain sweetreleaf.com

With sun-grown cannabis cultivated in the Emerald Triangle, a maker of body butters offers relief and comfort.

S

ometimes you just have to try something you never thought you would reach for. In 2014, the founders of Sweet Releaf made a critical decision as they watched a loved one struggle through excruciating pain following a car accident. Multiple surgeries and a laundry list of pharmaceutical pills did nothing to ease the suffering, so they turned to cannabis. Things got better, much better, in fact.

“There seems to be so many people in pain these days,” says Sweet Releaf founder Didi Davis.

“Pain is both personal and universal.

Everyone knows someone who is in pain. Through our own experiences, we have discovered our mission of developing effective products that

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THE END

Headline Goes Here Lorem ipsum quam que dolor res.

TEXT AUTHOR A. PERSON

Lorem ipsum quam que dolor res.

New Volunteers In the sun, we circled after speaking to our senator’s staff.

We’d given them a list—four steps to transition from fossil fuels— and received no promises for action. Why then, I wondered, were we so giddy?

As we spoke of the hard work ahead, why did we feel relief?

Before that day, alone in an office, I’d plotted the rise of the future sea, thinking this is the arc of my story: since my birth we’d burned more fossil fuels than all years prior, the decades left to stop this burning were the span of my career, and all I could do on my own was switch out my lightbulbs and mourn.

But on that day, each of us felt—I’m sure of it— that as we composed our letter we’d summoned a new sense of possibility, and in delivering it together: power.

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PHOTO BY CHRIS, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT KATY GURIN

Photographer @jade.turgel.photography

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Product collaboration with @highrizeca

SONOMA COUNT Y’S DESTINATION DISPENSARY 1 8 2 5 E M P I R E I N D U S T R I A L C O U R T, S A N T A R O S A , C A fl o r a t e r r a c a . c o m | @ fl o r a t e r r a c a l i ce n se # C12- 0000185 - L IC