Sensi Norcal Magazine - December 2020 - Northern California

LET IT GROW

Hardy houseplants for winter

NORCAL DECEMBER 2020

CAPITAL CHEER Sacramento-style holiday

IT’S A WRAP!

Our exclusive 2020 gift guide

THE WILD AZZIE

Foraging in the mushroom mecca

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NORCAL SENSI MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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FEATURES

29

It’s a Wrap!

46

Foraging for Magic

Stumped this season? Crack open our exclusive gift guide and break off some holiday cheer for you and yours.

Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroom-hunting capital of the Pacific Northwest

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 18 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 12 THE BUZZ WINTER BE GONE Hardy News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop RENOVATION Holbrooke Hotel becomes new again.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

houseplants give your home an island vibe.

RECIPES Sugar, spice, and cannabis pies HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

Cannabis infused drinks made in California CANNA-COOKBOOK Showcasing The Cannabis THE SCENE Apothecary Hot happenings and hip LOCAL COMPANY The Best hangouts around town Food Truck Ever CAPITAL CHRISTMAS How Sacramento does the CHOP CHOP! Cut your holiday season own tree at Apple Hill.

CALENDAR Live and virtual events to make the season bright

54

ON THE COVER

Be merry and go ’round the Waterfront Wheel, a temporary Ferris wheel in Sacramento.

PHOTO COURTESY VISIT SACRAMENTO PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK

68 THE END The Velvet Bandit’s inspiring, unsanctioned street art

D EC E M B E R 2020

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ADVISORY BOARD

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

EXECUTIVE

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 Jenny Willden Managing Editor jenny.willden@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Diane Blackford, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak, Josh Clark Designers Neil Willis Production Director neil.willis@sensimag.com PUBLISHING

Nancy Birnbaum Market Director nancy.birnbaum@sensimag.com Gina George Media Sales Executive gina.george@sensimag.com Toni Malvesta Media Sales Executive toni.malvesta@sensimag.com Sam De La Paz Media Sales Executive sam.delapaz@sensimag.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Hi, I’m new here.

Well, new-ish. After living in

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.

both Philadelphia and Salt Lake City for many years, my husband and I recently relocated to Northern California. Though we’ve spent much of that new time here under COVID restrictions and lockdowns, we’ve found solace in the outdoors.

From camping at Lake Shasta, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe to hiking around Gold Country, the Bay Area, and the coast, the adventure options are seemingly endless.

While we’d love to sip cocktails at a crowded Sacramento speakeasy or watch Hamilton live in San Francisco, we’re making do with discovering the diverse delights of Northern California in these strange pandemic times.

With the arrival of the holidays, the isolation feels even more challenging than the previous nine months. This is typically a time for family gatherings and huge holiday festivals, but we’re stuck at home finishing Netflix—again. If you’re at a loss on how to safely spend the holidays, this issue of Sensi is here to help. From a festive getaway to California’s capital to adding an island vibe to your home with houseplants, we’re finding ways to enjoy the holidays—while staying socially distanced.

On the edibles front, this issue showcases quenchable California cannabis sippers and recipes for upgrading your holiday pies with a touch of cannabutter. If you’re still shopping for gifts, flip to our gift guide for locally sourced and national finds for everyone on your list.

As we bid this bizarre year adieu, I’m hopeful we’ll rally around a new motto in 2021: Make America Kind Again. As a nation, let’s rock our favorite masks, put this pandemic behind us, and chart a better, brighter path ahead.

Thank you for reading and supporting Sensi Norcal. Remember, this magazine is here for you. Whether you email or @ me, I’d love to hear your ideas for what to cover in these pages. For now, stay safe and take care of each other this holiday season.

As we bid this bizarre year adieu, I’m hopeful we’ll rally around a new motto in 2021: Make America Kind Again.

To peace and progress,

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

Jenny Willden @jennywillden

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Old Becomes New If the Holbrooke Hotel’s walls could talk, what stories they would tell. Once home to Mark Twain and host to five US Presidents, the Holbrooke dates back to the Gold Rush and is one of California’s oldest operating hotels. And after two years of careful renovation and restoration, it’s finally reopened in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.

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Now restored beyond its former glory, Holbrooke dazzles with modern, one-of-a-kind rooms incorporating vintage fixtures and furnishings. Relive the 49er era in the Golden Gate Saloon, one of the West’s oldest watering holes, or descend into the subterranean speakeasy for live music and craft cocktails. Chef Zachary Ahrenholtz’s inventive dining menu

features updated California classics accompanied by house-made sauces and breads. During holiday weekends, reserve high tea sessions complete with canapés and champagne. From the Holbrooke, walk pedestrian-friendly Grass Valley and shop for holiday gifts at hip, local boutiques.

Holbrooke Hotel / 212 W. Main St., Grass Valley / holbrooke.com

PHOTOS BY KAT ALVES

Restoration reinvigorates Grass Valley’s historic Holbrooke Hotel.

CONTRIBUTOR

Jenny Willden

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Golden State Sippers

Cannabis-infused drinks take off in California.

Looking for a boost without the buzz? Try these California-made drinks infused with CBD and/or psychoactive cannabis.

House of Saka: Imbibe without booze and sip the world’s first cannabis beverage made with Napa Valley grapes blended with odorless, tasteless THC and CBD. Cann Social Tonics: Canna curious? Get a social boost without the hangover from these sparkling alcohol-free sippers with CBD and a microdose of THC. Hi-Fi Hops: Swap beer for bud with this calorie-free, zero-alcohol beverage from popular Petaluma brewery, Lagunitas. More similar to sparkling water as it’s not brewed, this cannabis-infused concoction is available in 5- or 10-milligram THC dosages.

Artet Cannabis Aperitif: Infused with cannabis and eight botanicals, this nonalcoholic aperitif is delicious on the rocks or mixed in a cocktail.

Kikoko Tea: Whether you seek better sleep, pain relief, a mood boost, or better sex, try these organic, boutique teas mixed with microdoses of Mendocino-grown cannabis.

Soul Fixx Elixirs Sparkling Water: Hooked on sparkling water? Get your fix in a blackberry lime flavor infused with 10mg of Hemp CBD and turmeric extract.

Isolated Liquid CBD: Rehydrate with the first CBD sports drink. Made with electrolytes and Hemp CBD, it’s a zero-sugar, zero-calorie alternative to Gatorade.

BY THE NUMBERS

5 STATES Number of states that passed legalized cannabis measures in 2020 SOURCE: cnn.com

14,494 FEET

The elevation of Mount Whitney, the highest point in California SOURCE: britannica.com

4+

MILLION ACRES Area burned

by California wildfires in 2020 SOURCE: npr.org

COOK & STAY WELL WITH CANNABIS Learn to prep CBD & THC in The Cannabis Apothecary.

In her new book, The Cannabis Apothecary, celebrated cannabis cookbook author Laurie Wolf shares her recipes and preparation tips for everything from body balms and massage oils to cannabutter and brownies.

This essential cannabis guide covers buying and preparing both CBD and THC to improve your health and wellness. Learn the differences between strains and the benefits of using cannabis from Wolf, a lauded edibles expert with her own cannabis food-focused business called Laurie + MaryJane. Flip to The Life chapter to get Wolf’s favorite canna-pie recipes for your holiday celebrations.

The Cannabis Apothecary / laurieandmaryjane.com

When we strive to become better, everything around us becomes better too.”

—Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 THE MORE THE MERRIER One in three Americans now lives in a state where recreational cannabis is legal, thanks to voters in New Jersey, Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota supporting measures to legalize the plant for adult use.

2 MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS Supporters of marijuana legalization in Arizona outraised and outspent opponents 10 to one leading up to Election Day. In New Jersey, that number was 99 to one.

3 THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION According to a new Gallup Poll released in November, 68 percent of Americans support cannabis legalization. That’s 5.5 times more support than five decades ago in 1969. If you’re a young adult American male with a college degree earning more than $100k, there’s at least a 74 percent chance you support legalization, according to the poll. If you’re Republican or attend religious services weekly, there’s a 52 percent chance you don’t.

4 MAGIC MONEY David Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps

PHOTO CREDITS (FROM TOP): COURTESY OF BEST FOOD TRUCK EVER / HAVEN

wrote checks totaling more than $6.4 million toward drug-war reform campaigns this year, thanks in part to COVID-19, which has the soap business booming.

5 TRIPPING OVER NOTHING Psychedelic mushrooms send the fewest people to the emergency room of any drug on the market, according to a massive report by the Global Drug Survey. Related: there are more than 100 varieties of psilocybin-producing mushrooms, aka “magic mushrooms,” aka the kind Oregon voters legalized in November’s election.

“THE SECRET OF CHANGE IS TO FOCUS ALL OF YOUR ENERGY NOT ON FIGHTING THE OLD, BUT ON BUILDING THE NEW.”

Mobile Meal Mania

Best Food Truck Ever and Haven launch in Napa.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has closed hundreds of businesses temporarily or permanently, others are pivoting to make do in these challenging times. One winner is Napa’s family-owned Heritage Eats launch of a new food truck, the Best Food Truck Ever, and Haven, its online-only wing delivery.

Parked at the historic Food City building in South Napa Thursday to Saturday evenings, this food truck makes up for the current lack of food truck festivals and events by serving a variety of cuisine. Expect the greatest hits from fast-casual Heritage Eats, such as topped waffle fries, chicken sandwiches, and falafel bowls. Place pickup orders online at bestfoodtruckever.co or order on Door Dash for delivery.

For finger-licking-good wings delivered straight to your door, order from Haven, a Napa business solely focused on chicken wings and sauces for watching football games at home. Open for delivery Thursday through Sunday at havennapa.com.

—Socrates, philosopher

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: How are you safely celebrating the holidays this year?

JOSH PORTER

ANDRE MARCELINO PINTO JEFFREY KOLSKY

JAMMIE KING

TIFFANY YARDE

Creative Director, Kushla Life Sciences, Santa Rosa

Director, Pró-Vida Brazilian Cannabis Association, Santa Rosa

Director, Canna-Soothe Novato

Co-Founder/Owner Red Door Remedies, Cloverdale

CEO x Sales, Shoki Beverages San Rafael

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

I’m sticking close to my safety pod and spending time with immediate family and a very small group of friends. Planning to use digital channels to stay connected with everyone else.

This year, I’ll spend the holidays at home with my small family. We moved from Brazil four years ago to continue my cannabis education, and I hope to bring change to Brazilian cannabis regulation soon.

Our blended family consists of three homes with five adults and three children. All three homes follow CDC, CA, and local county safety guidelines, and we’re staying local for the holidays. We’re being risk averse by not inviting guests outside of our shared households.

Our large family will not be traveling far this holiday. I’m going to miss the loud voices and little hands, but my dishwasher is gonna get a break. Since that dishwasher is me, I’m just going to enjoy eating at the smaller kitchen table and be thankful.

We’ve planned events for group video calls. First, a tree-trimming contest.

Next, making cocktails while Grandma shows us the things she learned about THC and CBD this year. It’s going to be great having our US, Barbados, and Canada-based family members under one virtual roof!

CHOP YOUR OWN TREE

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE HILL

Get in the holiday spirit at Apple Hill.

With most Northern California holiday events canceled due to COVID-19, chopping down your own Christmas tree is a safe, socially distanced way to celebrate the season. Head to the hills, Apple Hill that is, to pick your perfect tree in the Sierra Foothills near Placerville. Bring the whole family to Christmas tree farms with kid-friendly activities and steaming cups of apple cider or hot chocolate. Masks and social distancing required for safety. applehill.com

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PHOTO BY TONTECTONIX, ADOBE STOCK

Containing the Tropics Baby it’s cold outside, but these easybreezy houseplants can add an instant island vibe to your home no matter what’s happening out there.

TEXT DIANE BLACKFORD

Your dreams for a ity in your place—and Caribbean getaway this trust me, your hair, skin, year get dashed by the sinuses, and more will pandemic and travel thank you for adding restrictions? more moisture to the air.

While it’s not quite My apartment’s large the same as frolicking southern-facing winon sugary soft beaches dows deserve a lot of flanked by palm trees credit for helping to and lapped by shimmer- transform an empty ing turquoise waters, apartment into a lush I’ve done my best to turn landscape, no doubt. But my apartment into a even if your place rarely tropical oasis with palm sees any direct sunlight trees and verdant foliat all, you too can grow age growing out of every some palm trees. available space. You can Everyone can be a do the same, and I high- tropical gardener, and ly encourage it. Plants thanks to the houseprovide oxygen, clean plant-crazed millennials the air, and are shown to demanding more—and elevate happiness. Not more exotic—greenery to mention if you get to grow in their homes, enough of them growing, it’s easier than ever to you’ll raise the humidcultivate a true island D EC E M B E R 2020

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THE LIFE

IMAGES VIA ADOBE STOCK

vibe indoors—even in the coldest of climates.

“It may be a little tricky at times, but adding that special warmth and color to your home definitely can be done,” confirms Andrea Haywood, a certified master gardener from South Florida.

While Jack Frost is not a friend to most greenery native to climates where temperatures hover above 75°F, we’ve rounded up some of the easiest tropical plants that you can grow indoors all year long. You can find these varieties and others like them at your local garden center, where the staff can help you pick out the right

type for your home’s light and offer tips to help you care for the tropical transplant. So

flowers makes the plant a superb conversation starter that adds a welcome burst of color to any household where it Bird of Paradise (above) blooms, which doesn’t happen without a ton This colorful plant species got its moniker from of natural sunlight. But its uncanny resemblance even without the nameto the feathered creature sake flower, the large plant adds a ton of tropwith the same name.

The unusual shape of its ical flair to any room, thanks to its glossy leaves fanning out. take your green thumbs out of your gloves and get growing on your own tropical paradise.

Bromeliad (left) There are over 3,000 species within this standout family of tropical plants. Most have bold leaves that are often colorful, but the most distinguishing characteristic of many bromeliads is an exotic flower spike. Given the long-lasting blooms and ornamental foliage, you may assume these are high-maintenance D EC E M B E R 2020

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THE LIFE

Dracaena Marginata (below) Often called the dragon tree, this spiky houseplant is native to Africa.

The tricolor cultivar, also known as the rainbow plant, adds an instant island vibe to any household with its pink, cream, and yellow stripes on narrow, green leaves.

houseplants, but you’d be mistaken. They tend to be among the easiest to grow, and you

can fi nd varieties in all shapes and sizes with different preferences for light and heat.

and well-drained soil to survive, and it needs lots of sunlight to bloom, which it can do from late spring through fall in the right conditions. You can find versions with flowers in a dizzying array of colors, making it easy to match your home’s color palette. If you don’t have bright, direct sunlight, don’t let that stop you Hibiscus (left) from adding this stunner Huge, dramatic blooms to your collection. Keep up to eight inches in it indoors during the windiameter add terrific ter then move it to the splashes of color (albeit balcony or porch when it short-lived) to this shrub. warms up outside to enIt needs plenty of water joy its seasonal blooms.

IMAGES VIA ADOBE STOCK

EDITOR’S CHOICE: PONYTAIL PALM The cascading curls flowing from the top of this plant just make it seem like all sorts of bubbly fun. It’s technically a succulent, not a palm tree, but we won’t tell if you don’t. A native of the dry desert states of eastern Mexico, it does well in low humidity, and its bulbous base stores water like a camel’s hump, making it a good choice for people who tend to neglect their plants.

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THE LIFE RECIPE

Pecan Pie Servings: 8–10

Sugar, Spice, and Cannabis Pies Transform your ordinary holiday desserts with these cannabis-infused recipes.

RECIPES LAURIE WOLF

Big holiday gatherings may be on hold this season, but indulging in delicious holiday treats is not. Whether you’re getting through the current COVID situation solo or enjoying a socially distanced gather24

NORCAL

ing with a few folks, you need pie. This is the season to be jolly after all, and though jolly may be a bit of a stretch in 2020, you deserve a splurge.

Here edibles expert Laurie Wolf shows you how to add cannabis-

D EC E M B E R 2 02 0

infused magic to your favorite holiday pies.

Get her famous infused cannabutter recipe at laurieandmaryjane.com and more cannabis recipes in her new book, The Cannabis Apothecary (Running Press, 2020).

INGREDIENTS

overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against the rim of the pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).

• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in golden syrup, vanilla, zest, and salt. In a INSTRUCTIONS medium bowl, lightly beat • Preheat oven to 340°F eggs then whisk in golden with a baking sheet on syrup mixture. the middle rack.

• Put pecans in the pie shell • Roll out dough on a lightly and pour sugar syrup floured surface with a mixture evenly over them. lightly floured rolling pin Bake on a hot baking sheet into a 12-inch round. Place until filling is set, 50 minutes in a 9-inch pie plate. Trim to one hour. Cool completely edge, leaving a ½-inch before serving.

Pie crust (use recipe for Pumpkin Pie on page 25) ¾ stick unsalted butter (can swap some for cannabutter) 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar ¾ cup golden syrup 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 2 cups pecan halves

THE LIFE RECIPE

Pretty Pumpkin Pie Servings: 9

INGREDIENTS Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1¾ sticks sweet butter 2 tablespoons cannabutter 1⁄3 to ½ cup cold water

Pie Filling

2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup brown sugar 1½ cups pumpkin puree 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon cannabutter

PHOTOS BY LAURIE + MARY JANE

INSTRUCTIONS For pie crusts

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt.

Cut in sweet butter and cannabutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

• Stir in water until mixture forms a ball.

Divide dough in half and shape into balls.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

• Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don’t over work it. Use as directed in the pie recipe (on page 24). Freeze the other half for up to three months.

1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground ginger 1 pie crust

ROOM FOR ONE MORE Not partial to pecan or pumpkin? Luckily for you, there’s yet another delicious infused pie recipe—this time for blueberry apple pie—online.

Visit sensimag.com, and let us know how it tastes.

For pie filling

• Preheat oven to 340°F. • In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar together until light and fluffy.

• Add pumpkin, cream, cannabutter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well.

• Pour into a pie shell and bake 55 to 60 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick into the pie. If it comes out clean, the pie is ready. The pie will rise during baking and then settle when cooling.

• Serve with some lightly sweetened whipped cream.

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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

DECEMBER HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

and see the bigger picture.

SAGITTARIUS People are turning to you for Each month, your cards the light and discipline of present a new adventure, your goals, which will ultiand this one will be connect- mately also benefit them. You ed with how you earn mon- are the beacon of your circle. ey. Someone is about to invite you in a new direction. FEB. 19–MAR. 20 It is totally worth exploring. PISCES Something planned will be deDEC. 22–JAN. 19 layed this month; don’t fight it.

CAPRICORN The delay will ultimately work You’ve been working hard, in your favor. Pay attention to spiritually and emotionalthe things you can resolve and ly. You are doing your best to find a creative distraction. keep your balance, while the influences around you seem MAR. 21–APR. 19 oblivious to kindness, ethics, ARIES and morality. Remember, you Do you live so well in your can only manage yourself— spiritual understanding that and you are being tested. you could explain your perspective to another? This is JAN. 20–FEB. 18 the month to fill your heart AQUARIUS with light and blessings.

Your biggest gift right now is Your example of living may your ability to stay focused heal or help someone.

NOV. 22–DEC. 21

APR. 20–MAY 20

TAURUS

Though it may not feel this way, the power of all things is available to you right now.

You have a network of enlightened people and spirits around you who are willing to help you get what you want. It’s okay to ask.

MAY 21–JUNE 20

GEMINI

Things will happen very quickly this month, and you will react quickly. Karma will address someone who has wronged you. Opportunity and/or focus are about to cross your radar.

JUNE 21–JULY 22

CANCER

Pay a little extra attention to the people you interact with.

You will find common ground

SAGITTARIUS, SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO INVITE YOU IN A NEW DIRECTION. IT IS TOTALLY WORTH EXPLORING.

and coincidental connections. It will also allow you a bonding opportunity for creating your network.

barrel. Now that your mojo is back, it’s time to sing their praises and maybe do your own version of Secret Santa.

JULY 23–AUG. 22

SEPT. 23–OCT. 22

It’s time to acknowledge and further develop your natural intuitive ability. It’s time to learn a simple way to focus on those who have doubted this ability. Clear your mind, imagine that all the flow of the universe is within you, and see what presents itself.

Recent events have placed you in a position of emotional conflict and imbalance. It’s the perfect foundation to determine what’s most important. You’ve found out where your heart is, so stay there.

LEO

LIBRA

OCT. 23–NOV. 21

SCORPIO

You are finally released from VIRGO what was working against Think of the people you you—and those “habits” would slay dragons for and around how you’ve regardeveryone who covered your ed situations or people. You butt when you were emoare still in the same position, tionally at the bottom of your but you have a clearer view.

AUG. 23–SEPT. 22

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POTENT PAIN RELIEF: 14:1 Body Butters and Roll-On Dry Oils

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Tetra Sunrise to Dusk Ashtray Handmade by Robbie Frankel of Balefire Glass $96 / shop-tetra.com Spark up any room with this art piece of an ashtray.

Jonathan Adler Druggist Weed Canister

Bruce Charles Designs Schulte Tops and Teak Wood Spin Base

$228 / jonathanadler.com $30 and up / brucecharlesdesigns.com

Neenineen Grenadine Bubbler

GRAV Clear Menorah $400 / grav.com

$120 / neenineen.com

Fringe Studio Ru Vive le FĂŠminisme Ceramic Mug $17 / fringestudio.com

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Primark Kimball Bar (Bong) Cart

FLYKR LYTR Fidget Spinner Case

$150 / primark.com

$10 / flkrlytr.com

My Bud Vase Stardust Water Pipe $200 / mybudvase.com The bong is long gone, replaced by beautifully crafted art pieces that combine fashion (it looks lovely in the most elegant of living rooms) and function (it’s still one effective cannabis delivery device). And, of course, when you are not using it, the pipe pulls double duty as a vase.

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Fear of God x Ermenegildo Zegna Joggers $620 / zenga.com

Grrrl Clothing Activewear $19 and up / grrrl.com

Vintage Redeux Mary Jane Smoking Robe $120 / vintageredeux.com

Patagonia Furry Friends Fleece Hoodie $55 / patagonia.com

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The perfect body is every body. Grrl Clothing celebrates all bodies with styles and fits for all shapes and definitions of beautiful.

This high-performance activewear will not only enhance your workout, but also make you proud of that body.

Prada Mini Bag Combat Boot $1,350 / prada.com Upgrade your strut and be prepared for anything with this combo hautecouture stomper and mini-purse that can handle serious urban use and ensure you won’t have to worry about checking or losing a bag with your valuables.

Nike Killshot 2 Leather Hunter Boots Original Golden Goose Men’s Shoe High Gloss Waterproof Superstar Sneaker

Ugg Scuffette Cosmos Slipper

Treasure & Bond Kids’ Faux Fur Slipper

$90 / nike.com

$99 / ugg.com

$25 / nordstrom.com

$150 / hunterboots.com

$560 / goldengoose.com

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Click & Grow The Smart Garden 3

Modern Sprout Smart Hydroplanter

$100 / clickandgrow.com

$160 / modsprout.com

Cult Furniture Hanging Lamp with Plant Pot $95 / cultfurniture.com

Gromeo Living Wall System $265 and up / habitathorticulture.com Simplify your living space and bring more lush green to those dull walls with these ingenious planters.

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NewMade LA Triangle Wall Planter

Modern Sprout Garden Jars

$38 / newmadela.com

$20 / modsprout.com

A Pot for Pot Marijuana Growing Kit $40 and up / apotforpot.com The ultimate DIY kit makes it simple to grow everyone’s favorite plant anywhere in your home.

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Larq Movement Self-Cleaning Water Bottle $78 / livelarq.com

Lexon Oblio Wireless Charger and UV Sanitizer $80 / lexon-design.com

Haute Diggity Dog Woof Clicquot RosĂŠ Dog Toy $16 / hautediggitydog.com

Medipop Portable UV LED Light Sterilizer $60 / medipop.us

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W&P Design The Margarita Virtual Happy Hour Cocktail Kit $24 / wandpdesign.com Bartender skills a bit iffy? Even the biggest bumbler can shake out a stiff drink like a pro with these nifty premade kits. Includes everything but the booze.

Art of Burning Man

By NK Guy $60 / taschen.com The Black Rock Desert may have been empty this year, but you can relive the ephemeral beauty of the burn with this gorgeous coffee table book.

Astrology

The Rihanna Book

By Andrea Richards Volume 2 of the Library of Esoterica series $40 / taschen.com

By Rihanna $150 / phaidon.com

The Cannabis Apothecary

By Laurie Wolf with Mary Wolf $35 / blackdogandleventhal.com

Food and Beverage Magazine’s Guide to Restaurant Success

By Michael Politz $30 / wiley.com

Matcha: A Lifestyle Guide

By Jessica Flint and Anna Kavaliunas $25 / goop.com

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CEO’S CHOICE

PuffCo Peak Pro $400 / puffco.com Welcome to sophisticated inhalation. This high-tech vaporizer elevated the art of dabbing, providing pure concentrate with each inhalation. It heats up in just 20 seconds and four heat modes help you dial in the right intensity for your mood.

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Saucey Tectonic9 Auto Dispensing Grinder $60 / sauceyextracts.com Simplify the all-to-often messy grinding process with this collab between Tectonic9 and Saucey Farms & Extracts that delivers perfect grinds in style.

Theragun Elite Percussive Therapy Device

Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

$399 / theragun.com

$300 / sony.com

Sonos Move Wireless Dyson Airwrap and Bluetooth Speaker Styler Complete $399 / sonos.com

$550 / dyson.com

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Impala Quad Skate Rollerskates

Crosley Mockingbird Bluetooth Radio

SMEG 50s Retro-Style Electric Kettle

Swan Retro Espresso Maker

Verve Culture Artisan Citrus Juicer

$95 / impalarollerskates.com

$97 / crosleyradio.com

$160 / smegusa.com

$135 / swan-brand.co.uk

$90 / verveculture.com

Lomo’Instant Automat Glass Assemble Configure Edition $189 / lomography.com Featuring work by UK artist Laura Slater, this instant camera has a 35mm f/4.5 wide-angle lens for shots that take in the whole scene.

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MyJane SheSurvival Box Hedger Humor Special Edition $59 / myjane.com

Bloom Farms CBD Sport Stick $55 / getbloomfarms.com

Because 2020 sucked so bad, girl, you need to laugh your way into the new year—and feel good too. Plus, each box contains a bracelet handcrafted by a survivor of human trafficking and proceeds support the cause of International Sanctuary in empowering women survivors in recovery.

Mello Bottoms CBD Suppositories

Goodekind 300mg CBG Topical Salve

MAC Viva Glam 26 Matte Lipstick

$60 for 2 / mellodaily.com

$35 / goodekind.com

$19 / maccosmetics.com

Dr. Barbara Sturm Repair Food Dietary Supplement

Beboe Therapies High-Potency CBD Sheet Masks

$70 / olivela.com

$78 for set of 5 / beboetherapies.com

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The Comic Chest $60 / facebook.com/thecomicchest The nerd in all of us will rejoice to find this carefully curated (by nerds, of course) comic book swag mystery box under the tree.

Charlotte’s Web Hemp Sweet Releaf Comfort+ Papa & Barkley Gummies for Sleep Extra Strength Releaf Tincture $30 / icharlotte.com

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$60 / sweetreleaf.com

$50 / papaandbarkley.com

DevoHome Hemp Fur Coat $633 / devohome.com

Green Bee Botanicals Skincare Prices vary / greenbeebotanicals.com Vegan-friendly and contaminant-free, Green Bee products will rejuvenate and brighten up your skin to give it that holiday shine all year long. Credit that power to a scientifically researched mix of phytonutrients and full-spectrum cannabis that works in tandem to heal and enhance. Green Bee is encouraging customers to build their own product gift kits that will include a holiday card and skincare guide.

Canna-Soothe Artisanal Lozenges

Kushla Life Sciences R.E.A.C.T. CBD

Solutions by Dr. Dave Peppermint Tincture

SoHum Royal Bliss Bath Bombs

$20 / getcannasoothe.com

$65 / kushla.com

$60 / solutionsbydrdave.com $40 / sohumroyal.com

LuxePak V2 $25 / luxepakit.com

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Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroomhunting capital of the Pacific Northwest TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE PHOTOS LEAH D’AMBROSIO

FORAGING FOR

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T

he wind was blowing about 20 knots, pelting us with needles of mist, as we trudged through the dune grass with our eyes peeled. We weren’t focused, as you would expect, on the stunning shoreline and churning gray waves of Willapa Bay in our vista, but on the ground. We were looking for mushrooms—Psilocybe azurescens, to be exact.

I couldn’t believe my luck when Chef Sebastian Carosi, one of the first and finest farmto-fork pioneers and a virtuoso cannabis chef, offered to teach me how to stalk the wild Azzie.

“There really is no better experience with anything psilocybin-related than picking your own,” he told me when we met at the Everything Edibles virtual conference in October. “You can actually go find your own psilocybin in the wild, beyond a government-sanctioned organic label, and that in itself is part of the therapeutic effect.”

Carosi describes himself this way: “Imagine James Beard and Salvador Dali have a ’70s baby … raised by Alice Waters and Jack Kerouac … babysat by Jack Herer and Julia Child,” a chef who makes “organic, plant-heavy American truck-stop cuisine served on white tablecloths.” He’s a master forager and a heck of a lot of fun to hang out with, and the opportunity to learn the art of the hunt from him in the mushroom capital of the Pacific North-

west was far too good to pass up.

He didn’t have to ask twice.

On Election Day 2020, I wrapped myself in layers of North Face, laced up my Sorels, and joined Carosi; his wife, Carla Asquith; and my friend Leah D’Ambrosio (who organized the Everything Edibles conference)—along with dozens of other hunters who descend on Long Beach, Washington, every fall in cold, wet pursuit of the shroom. (In Long Beach, they say, first come the rains, then the Azzies, then the Winnebagos).

Long Beach is a 28-mile-long peninsula along the southwest coast of Washington where the

Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Warm and wet, it’s a forager’s paradise. The shores are rich with clams, oysters, and crab; wild berry bushes and dense mycelial mats cling to the sandy soil. James Beard made a home and restaurant here, and mycology guru Paul Stamets lives just up the road.

Fungi is plentiful, from beefy King Boletes, otherwise known as porcini—which you’ll pay a fortune for at the market, if you can find them—to crunchy, tasty Lactarius deliciosus. Amanita muscaria, or Fly Agaric, with its iconic red cap and white spots, makes for great pics but shouldn’t be eaten.

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But, let’s be honest, it’s the Azzies that draw the crowds. Long Beach is legendary for its bounty of the little shrooms, also known as flying saucers, beloved for being the most psilocybin-dense mushrooms on the planet. “Discovered” in 1979 by Boy Scouts camping near the mouth of the Columbia River, just over the bridge in Oregon, Azzies were formally named Psilocybe azurescens by none other than Stamets, whose son is named Azureus for the color of bruised psilocybin.

“Simply blowing on the fibrils of the stem of this purple-brown spored mushroom causes the fibrils to turn bluish with an azure color, hence its name,” Stamets writes on Instagram. “Psilocybin dephosphorylates into psilocin, then further degrades into an associated blue compound. The more bluish bruising, the more potent this mushroom once was.”

These are the mushrooms Stamets took Michael Pollan to find—likely in the very same spots we covered with Carosi—the ones Pollan wrote about tripping on in his best-selling book How to Change Your Mind. When you eat them, according to Psilopedia, a nonprofit educational center and encyclopedia, Azzies “produce intense visual hallucination, profound journeys into alternate realms of consciousness, and more rarely induce temporary paralysis.”

For Carosi, Azzies are good medicine. When he was 17, he was sentenced to seven years for a cannabis charge, and the mushrooms cut through his prison PTSD like nothing else. That he could return to prison for gath-

“PSYCHEDELICS ARE ILLEGAL NOT BECAUSE A LOVING GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED THAT YOU MAY JUMP OUT OF A THIRD-STORY WINDOW [BUT] BECAUSE THEY DISSOLVE OPINION STRUCTURES AND CULTURALLY LAIDDOWN MODELS OF BEHAVIOR…. THEY OPEN YOU UP TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG.” —Terence McKenna, ethnobotanist

ering his medicine was not lost on any of us as we searched for it during an Election Day he could not participate in. Picking Azzies is a Class A felony in the United States and the state of Washington. Under the 1971 US Controlled Substances Act, psilocybin and psilocin are listed alongside heroin as Schedule I drugs with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

It’s hard to get my mind around this. In Denver, we voted to decriminalize psilocybin in 2019, and it seems like everyone’s casually doing mushrooms, in micro and macro doses. On the very day we went picking, voters in Oregon—a stone’s throw from Long Beach—opted to legalize therapeutic access to mushrooms and decriminalize all drugs. Mushrooms show extraordinary promise for many of the mental health issues that have intensified during the pandemic—particularly depression—and they’re losing their stigma under the gaze of celebrities like Pollan and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who donated $500,000 to Oregon’s decriminalization effort.

Still, we had to be aware. Rangers looking to harass dune-pickers patrol the state parks ringing Long Beach, and I couldn’t stop checking the horizon for them when I should have been scouring the thick wet grass for little caramel-colored, nippled caps with purple spores. That might be why we weren’t all that successful. Again and again, D’Ambrosio and I called out that we’d found a patch of Azzies, only to be told they were galerinas, poisonous mushrooms that look like Azzies

MUSHROOM MAGIC When you eat magic mushrooms, your body turns the psilocybin in them into psilocin, which binds with serotonin receptors in the brain that regulate cognition, memory, mood, and perception. Psilocin stimulates the visual cortex while muting the region of the brain responsible for our sense of self, or ego.

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but have rust brown spores and appear to be far more prevalent.

I’m not sure I ever got my “mushroom eyes,” and fear of arrest didn’t help my flow.

We—or really, Asquith—found a mere handful of Azzies. Late in the day, as the rain started coming down in relentless sheets, I was kneeling under a clump of shore pines when Asquith told me to look to my left. Two little brown mushrooms and a couple of pins (babies) were nestled together in a cluster in the grass. When I picked them—gently, so I wouldn’t damage the mycelium below—the white stems immediately turned blue in the palm of my hand.

It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough. We had an Instagram moment with the mushrooms. If we could have seen the sun, it would have been low in the sky. The rain had penetrated all our layers, even the waterproof ones.

We called it a day, a successful one, and headed back to town for much-needed cups of hot tea and bowls of clam chowder. Carosi surmised we may have been about five days too early for the best pickings, and that was fine. We experienced the thrill of finding our own medicine—just enough of a taste to make me want to try again next year.

The good news is, I might not have to deal with the nagging fear of breaking a law (even one I believe is unjust and stupid) that haunted my first hunt. On November 4, the day after Oregon voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, activists launched the Treatment and Recovery Act to do the same thing in Washington in 2021.

TIPS FOR HAPPY HUNTING • WEAR SEVERAL LAYERS of warm, waterproof clothes. Good gear makes for good days.

• BRING A POCKET KNIFE to get a clean cut of the mushrooms at the base (though it’s possible to pick them by hand) and a mesh bag or basket that allows the mushroom spores to fall to the ground and repopulate as you walk the dunes.

• DON’T DISTURB THE UNDERGROUND ROOT SYSTEM anymore than you need to when you’re harvesting.

• ALWAYS LEAVE SOME BEHIND to grow and multiply. Even if you get lucky and find a whole colony, don’t pick them all.

• TAKE FIELD NOTES about the habitat, how the mushrooms are growing, and where you find mushrooms. Make sure to visit the site again because mushrooms often return to the same spots year after year.

• DRY YOUR MUSHROOMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Fresh mushrooms are 90 to 95 percent water and should be dried immediately to retain their potency. They can be air-dried for two or three days, or you can pop them in a dehydrator to speed up the process.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISIT SACRAMENTO

A Capital City Christmas

While you can’t pack into cozy indoor bars, you’ll find al fresco patios with heaters, blankets, and hot toddies. Sure, it’s not the same holiday season we love, but it’s enough Fa La La to put you in jolly Christmas spirits. Bonus: snow is Don’t let the pandemic turn you into a Grinch. Celebrate the rare in Sacramento and holidays safely in Sacramento with an al fresco hot cocoa (almost) never accuand a brightly lit Ferris wheel. TEXT JENNY WILLDEN mulates. Bundle up a bit, and you’ll be feeling comfy cozy outside.

Sacramento’s local with the COVID-19 Rising COVID-19 case If you’ve never restaurants early on, the pandemic in mind. counts and statewide explored California’s curfews make California’s city pivoted fast, closing Instead of packing into capital, or it’s been holiday light shows, ride ages since you have, holiday season feel much roads to create large outdoor dining spaces a temporary Ferris wheel stop waiting for the less merry and bright. and promoting takeout for sparkling city light Instead of canceling all pandemic to end. vistas. Swap shopping plans to celebrate, head to dining deals.

Instead, don your most This ingenuity carried in crowded malls with Sacramento—California’s festive mask, keep over to the holiday walking Sac’s sidewalks capital city since 1854— your distance, obey to see decorated holiday the curfew, and visit this December for a safe, season, with creative Sacramentans remaking storefront windows and Sacramento (safely) socially distanced vacay the city’s holiday plans find unique gifts. with your household (or this holiday season. quarantine crew).

Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers, Sacramento began as a Gold Rush boomtown and still preserves this legacy today in Old Sacramento. Affectionately called “The City of Trees,” “River City,” and “Sactown” by locals, this city is a cowtown no more, reinventing itself as a thriving farm-to-fork destination surrounded by adventurous outdoor recreation opportunities. And while the pandemic crushed D EC E M B E R 2020

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PHOTOS (FROM TOP): COURTESY OF RIVER FOX TRAIN RAILBIKES / COURTESY OF VISIT SACRAMENTO

THE SCENE

Holiday Happenings The Old Sacramento Waterfront is typically holiday central, with the Theatre of Lights extravaganza and a huge Christmas tree lighting. This winter, the Dignity Health Holiday Tree still sparkles every night, and the

Waterfront Wheel—a temporary Ferris wheel—is open for socially distant rides. Take a spin until January 31 for views of Tower Bridge, Old Town, and the city lights. Tickets are just $6 and available seven days a week.

Next, snap a selfie with

the Christmas tree and celebrate California’s beginnings with a walk through Gold Rush structures turned restaurants and shops.

Bring cash for target practice at the River City Shooting Gallery and saltwater taff y at the many candy shops.

If seeing Santa is on your holiday to-do list, hop aboard the River Fox Train’s Magical Christmas Train. Bundle up and ride in an open-air car with heaters to a safe, socially distant celebration with Santa. Masks are required, and families will be grouped together for the ride to Winter Wonderland. Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves will be waiting at this private park along the Sacramento River with hot cocoa and treats.

For a more grown-up rail ride, reserve Sacramento’s new Railbikes.

Pedal down the tracks through the countryside, cruise along the river, and enjoy outdoor exercise with a friend or family member.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT SACRAMENTO

THE SCENE

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JUNGLE BIRD

THE SCENE

restaurants in the R Street Corridor, Hardin, Handle, and Downtown Commons (DOCO) districts banding together to survive.

Due to Sacramento County’s current Purple Tier COVID-19 status, only outdoor dining is allowed, but the addition of heaters make for charming nights out. “Sitting near a heater under trees with lights, it’s kind of a magical way to have a great meal,” Miskit says.

Where to Eat and Drink “All the dining restaufind curated reads for Shop Small Whether you choose rants in the DOCO everyone on your list.

Shop local for gifts this shopping plaza have “One of the great things takeout or outdoor dinseason and support ing, don’t miss the local created this massive about shopping locally is small businesses that eats during your Sacoutdoor dining space that you can find these are suffering due to the ramento stay. Branded adjacent to the Golden unique gifts that maybe pandemic instead of as “America’s Farm-toOne Center,” she says. other people wouldn’t mega-corporations.

Fork Capital,” the area “It’s all socially distant have,” says Kari Miskit, Start with a tour of surrounding the city is and is usually used for vice president of commuSacramento’s storepre-game activities. You an agricultural powernications at Visit Sacrafront windows decked house with a year-round can get food from a varimento. “Some of it’s Sacin holiday cheer (until ety of restaurants all in growing season. Most ramento-centric, some is January 1) and vote for more West Coast themed, restaurants source their one spot.” Try Mexican your favorite display. farm-fresh ingredients cuisine at Polanco Cantiso that’s always fun.”

From December 1 to 12 from local farms. na or bites and bubbles While mask-wearing in Midtown, receive free “Sacramento was really at Fizz Champagne Bar. and social distancing are gifts with purchases, making waves as a culiAcross the street on special holiday cocktails, required at these shops, you can skip the in-pernary capital pre-pandem- the 700 block, sip craft and treats at 12 Days of ic. We’d earned our first cocktails with a bird’s-eye Midtown. son visit and still buy loview of the city from DarStart your holiday cal with Curbside Holiday Michelin star,” Miskit shopping spree at Midfrom December 19 to 20. says, “and while certainly ling Aviary’s new rooftop the restaurant industry lounge, or grab brunch town’s Strapping Store, a Shop online from these has been impacted by and mimosas at Tiger, an gift boutique with funny and other local brands, the pandemic, it hasn’t indoor food hall that’s finds, household items, choose a pickup time, and Sactown shirts and and Santa will deliver the stopped our local restau- transformed Ali Youssefi rants from turning out Square into a communal accessories. Buy chocogoods to your car with outdoor dining space. late boxes, holiday gift festive cheer. Driving into incredible meals.”

Street closures and For fancier local fare Sacramento to browse? sets, and edible stockScore free metered park- clever pop-ups have kept that changes with the ing stuffers at Ginger ing on city streets until popular restaurants growing season, try Elizabeth Chocolates. open in the city, with Mulvaney’s B&L. “MulPop by Capital Books to December 25.

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THE SCENE

Over on R Street, thaw out with an Haute Toddy at The Snug’s yacht-rockthemed Doobie Bar or head to Midtown’s Ice Blocks for patio pizza and a hot ramen bar at Beast + Bounty’s pop-up experience.

Looking to spice up a vegan holiday meal?

Shop plant-based charcuterie plates from The Dancer’s Pantry, a new service run by Chelsea Farrah Koptke, a dancer-turned-chef specializing in vegan grazing tables and plates. For no-fuss holiday dining, support Sacramento restaurants with a takeout order and enjoy quality cuisine at home.

Where to Stay Sleep on the border of downtown and Midtown at Residence Inn Sacramento Downtown at Capitol Park; you can walk everywhere from there. Every room is a spacious suite, so you can eat restaurant takeout at your dining room table or cook in the fully equipped kitchen. It’s a shame that the lobby’s hip Hotel Bar is not open, but Chef Keith Wallace’s creations (and stellar burgers) can be ordered for takeout from 3 to 8 p.m. daily. A free buffet breakfast is offered in the morning, but you must take it to-go and dine in your room.

Our favorite way to spend a morning here is grabbing a coffee at Midtown’s Old Soul Co. and taking a walk in Capitol Park. Here you’ll fi nd 140 varieties of roses in the World Peace Rose Garden, a touching Vietnam Memorial, a copycat of the Liberty Bell, and incredible Capitol Building views.

For a fancier overnight in the hip Downtown Commons, book The Sawyer, a Kimpton hotel with a rooftop bar and easy access to DOCO’s al fresco dining. Borrow a bike to ride the city’s 32 miles of trails or practice yoga on your in-room mat.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESIDENCE INN SACRAMENTO DOWNTOWN AT CAPITOL PARK

vaney’s has become one of the standard standout restaurants in Sacramento,” Miskit says. “Patrick Mulvaney is a prolific farm-to-fork leader in the community, and they’re doing a very special outdoor program.”

While crowded bars now feel like a relic from another time, there are safe ways to get your holiday drink on in the city.

Start in Midtown at The Jungle Bird for its Sippin’ Santa holiday pop-up.

Enjoy a festive Tiki drink served in holiday glassware outdoors on the winter wonderland patio or take one to-go and drink in the comfort of your hotel room.

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THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: RIVER FOX TRAIN: MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TRAIN

Cultural Calendar

Celebrate the holidays at social distanced and virtual events throughout Northern California.

TEXT JENNY WILLDEN

Don’t let a global pandemic stop you from feeling merry and bright this December. Though holiday parties and large events remain canceled, California communities are getting creative in how to (safely) spread holiday cheer—and not COVID-19.

Celebrate at these virtual and in-person events with your family or quarantine crew.

SnowFest

PHOTOS (FROM LEFT): COURTESY OF RIVER FOX TRAIN / BY KELLY HUSTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Now–Dec. 6 Various Sports Basement locations, Bay Area shop.sportsbasement.com

2020 Mill Valley Winterfest Holiday Hunt

River Fox Train: Magical Christmas Train

Miracle at Brewsters Beer Garden

Now–Dec. 23 River Fox Train Station, West Sacramento riverfoxtrain.com

Now–Dec. 23 Brewsters Beer Garden & Restaurant, Petaluma brewstersbeergarden.com

Now–Dec. 18 Mill Valley enjoymillvalley.com

Holiday Tea at Hotel Healdsburg

All aboard! Ride in magical, openair train cars with heaters and hot cocoa for stayGarden of ing cozy. Enjoy d’Lights at the elf-guided holiday Ruth Bancroft sing-a-longs and Garden a social-distanced Now–Dec. 20 Santa visit in a Ruth Bancroft Garden, Walnut Creek private park.

Now–Dec. 20 Hotel Healdsburg, Healdsburg drycreekkitchen.com

ruthbancroftgarden.org

San Francisco Ballet: Nutcracker Online Now–Dec. 31 Virtual Event sfballet.org

Holiday Window Display Contest Now–Jan. 1 Downtown, Sacramento godowntownsac.com

Holidays at Filoli Now–Jan. 3 Filoli Historic House, Woodside filoli.org

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is

en

l l a w g o n m i l la love cann ab o h

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

THE SCENE CALENDAR

TOP: HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT SONOMA PLAZA BELOW: HOLIDAY WEEKENDS AT THE OLD SUGAR MILL

San Francisco Mime Troupe: A Red Carol Dec. 11–Jan. 17 Virtual Event sfmt.org

Christmas in Oakland Dec. 12 Ira Jenkins Community Center, Oakland eventbrite.com

Santa Claus Helicopter Fly-In Christmas in the Park Now–Jan. 3 History Park, San Jose christmasinthepark.com

’Tis the Season for Science Now–Jan. 3 California Academy of Science, San Francisco calacademy.org

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Grove

Fantasy of Lights Drive Thru

Holiday Weekends at the Old Sugar Mill

Dec. 1–31 Town Green, Windsor people4parkswindsor.org

Dec. 4–30 Vasona Lake County Park, Santa Clara sccgov.org

Dec. 5–6, 12–13, 19–20 Old Sugar Mill, Clarksburg oldsugarmill.com

Walk-Through Wonderland Dec. 2–31 Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, Oakland eventbrite.com

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): COURTESY OF SONOMA / OLD SUGAR MILL

Holiday Lights at Sonoma Plaza At Home Now–Jan. 9 Kendall-Jackson Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma Holiday Cooking sonomacounty.com Class Thousands of lights Dec. 17 Virtual Event bedeck Sonoma’s kj.com eight-acre plaza all season long. Come to shop, wine taste, Broadway Holiday at the and enjoy this fesDrive-In tive display.

12 Days of Midtown Dec. 1–12 Midtown, Sacramento exploremidtown.org

Dec. 4–6 & 11–13 SOMO Village, Rohnert Park and Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma transcendencetheatre.org

Calistoga Lighted Tractors Dec. 5 Various locations, Downtown Calistoga visitcalistoga.com

Robert Mondavi 10th Annual Tree Lighting and Celebration Benefit Dec. 5 Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville robertmondaviwinery.com

Dec. 12 Pacific Coast Air Museum, Santa Rosa pacificcoastairmuseum.org

A Cathedral Christmas Dec. 12–Jan. 5 Virtual Event gracecathedral.org

Rodney Strong Vineyards Presents Posada Christmas conNavideña certs by the Grace Dec. 11 Virtual Event lutherburbankcenter.org

Rancho Cordova Holiday Lights Drive-Through Experience Dec. 11–20 The Mineshaft, Rancho Cordova cordovacouncil.org

Cathedral’s Choir of Men and Boys are a San Francisco mainstay. Enjoy it virtually this season with an online singing celebration.

Curbside Holiday at Capital Books Dec. 19–20 Capital Books, Sacramento curbside.holiday

American Canyon Virtual Reindeer Run/ Walk Dec. 5–16 Virtual Event acparks.org/reindeerrun

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E KUSHLA LIFE SCIENCES

The Future of Edibles It’s now possible for consumers and cannabis product manufacturers to create edibles and beverages that taste great and take effect in five to 10 minutes.

O

ne of the more exciting developments to come out of the cannabis market in the last year has been the emergence of fast-acting edibles. Designed to replicate the effects that consumers experience when smoking cannabis (a quicker onset time and a more manageable high), they have helped increase edible sales across the country, according to a recent New York Times article. One of the leaders in this innovative field is Kushla Life Sciences.

Based in Santa Rosa, California, its Rapid Effect Active Cannabinoid Technology (R.E.A.C.T) offers brands like F.A. Nino’s hot sauce and 19 Forty the ability

are looking for different ways to ingest cannabis, especially since the pandemic, the edible market’s growth potential has become unlimited. Kushla is helping to change consumers’ habits by removing one of the biggest stigmas hanging over edibles, their delayed onset time.

“Products made with R.E.A.C.T. are far more compatible with social rituals,” says Houston. “Now a person can ingest an edible or beverage with friends and feel the effects immediately, similar to the way many people have developed habits around smoking in the past.”

In addition, new users are much more likely to enjoy ingestible products when they get immediate feedback. It allows them to make an informed choice about whether they want to consume more.

Kushla has also developed a formulation for transdermal absorption.

It can be used to make topicals that penetrate the skin for pain relief and can even have a psychoactive effect.

The company’s state-of-the-art facility and team will work with brands from the beginning to the end of creating a new lineup of products. Plus, it will manufacture and distribute those products once they are ready to hit the market.

to design products that can showcase a wide array of flavors and effects. Using a cutting-edge self-emulsifying drug delivery system, Kushla’s formulations deliver a crisp and clean euphoria in about five to 10 minutes. Best of all, they have an entirely neutral flavor profile that product designers will love.

“It allows edibles manufacturers to build products around their own palate,” says John Houston, CEO of Kushla Life Sciences. “In the past, so-called fast-acting products have tasted bitter and soapy and took effect in 15 to 20 minutes. Now, manufacturers can create products that deliver effects within Kushla Life Sciences five to 10 minutes and taste great.”

Fast-Acting Edible Formulations As more consumers than ever kushla.com

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THE END

Tag for Change The Velvet Bandit inspires through unsanctioned street art.

If you’ve wandered the streets of Sonoma County lately, you’ve likely seen the colorful, clever art that’s pasted to dilapidated buildings, light poles, park benches, and dumpsters. This unsanctioned street art—focusing on all things 2020: the pandemic, voting, social justice, and even washing your hands—is all the work of an anonymous school lunch lady turned artist who calls herself the Velvet Bandit.

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Using acrylic paints on paper, the Bandit adheres her art to various public spaces using artist-grade paste. While not technically legal, her bold work is designed to educate and inspire others with messages of humor and hope.

“In the beginning, all my work was COVID related,” she says, “to reinforce the message about how serious the virus is and to let people know that we’re all in this together.”

But her art has since

evolved into social justice and current vent art covering Black Lives Matter, saving the US Postal Service, and humorous takes on serious situations, like a woman holding a check with the phrase “Mitch Better Have My Money” during the wait for stimulus checks.

Since the project began, the Velvet Bandit has hand-painted and cut over 800 paste-ups and is on track to post 1,000 before the year

is up. Her work’s been pasted all over the North Bay and from Washington to Laguna Beach— some has even made its way to Italy. While her work is designed to be temporary, she believes art is essential. “It’s a way for us to make a human connection,” she says, “and hopefully, bring a smile and sense of comfort to those who stumble upon them.” @thevelvetbandit / thevelvetbandit.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE VELVET BANDIT

TEXT JENNY WILLDEN

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