Sensi Magazine NorCal - March 2021

TUNES FOR THE TRIP

Curated playlists for psychedelics

LIGHTING THE PATH Cannabis delivery expands

NORCAL MARCH 2021

SPRING SPA-CATION Area resorts bring CBD to your self-care day

FOR THE RECORD

Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

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FEATURE

32

The Art of the Spring CBD Spa-cation Here are the best spots where you can treat yo’self in Northern California.

DEPARTMENTS

11 EDITOR’S NOTE 22 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 12 THE BUZZ TRIP TRACK Be your own News, tips, and tidbits

personal psychedelic DJ. to keep you in the loop VINYL APPEAL The resurSONOMA SWANK A new gence of records sporting club brings RECIPE Make carrotfood and fun. cannabis mocktails at BATH TIME Soak with a home.

CBD bath bomb.

HOROSCOPE What the SAY CHEESE A popular stars hold for you cheese fest goes virtual.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Click launches cannabis THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip mouth sprays. hangouts around town SWEET TREATS Handcrafted CBD caramels WAITING ON A FRIEND A local cannabis delivery BAY BREWS Pocket service makes a big pour-overs woo coffee move. lovers CALENDAR Live and LISTEN UP Headphones virtual events around and speakers we love Northern California TRAIL MAGIC An outdoor FRESH TUNES Our picks brand hawks CBD. for 2021’s best music so far

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ON THE COVER PHOTO BY PUHHHA, ADOBE STOCK PHOTO EDITS BY JOSH CLARK

50 THE END A local photographer captures sunrise along the Mendocino coast.

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LOVE, LOYALTY, AND EXCELLENCE IN CANNABIS

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MEDIA PARTNERS

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 Lou Ferris VP of Global Revenue lou@sensimag.com Chris Foltz Director of Global Reach chris@sensimag.com Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach richard.guerra@sensimag.com Amanda Patrizi Deputy Director of Global Reach amanda.patrizi@sensimag.com Jade Kolb Director of Project Management jade.kolb@sensimag.com Neil Willis Production Director neil.willis@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Jenny Willden Managing Editor jenny.willden@sensimag.com Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Amelia Arvesen, Jamie Evans, Dawn Garcia, Jedd Ferris Contributing Writers DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak, Josh Clark Designers PUBLISHING

Nancy Birnbaum Market Director nancy.birnbaum@sensimag.com Gina George Media Sales Executive regina.george@sensimag.com Joshua Crips Media Sales Executive joshua.cripps@sensimag.com Samantha Sage Media Sales Executive samantha.sage@sensimag.com Toni Malvesta Media Sales Executive toni.malvesta@sensimag.com

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E

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2021 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Early last March, my husband and I drove into

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San Francisco for a night out to watch Hamilton at the historic Orpheum Theatre. The event had been on our calendar for months, and the tickets were my early birthday gift before we flew to Salt Lake City for a ski weekend in my hometown. It was March 5, the same day San Francisco recorded its first two cases of coronavirus, and a day after Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California.

We knew enough about COVID-19 to know nothing at all and felt reassured that our frequent handwashing and travel-size hand sanitizer were enough to keep us healthy. Little did we realize our most “dangerous” act was simply sitting in a packed theatre. Six days later, San Francisco canceled Hamilton’s remaining performances, and soon after a stay-at-home order confined city residents to their homes for all but essential travel.

In case you’ve forgotten, San Francisco was so deserted in late March that packs of coyotes openly wandered city streets. My weekend trip home? It turned into a monthlong Utah lockdown. Why do I share all this now? To remember, a year later, how fast our lives changed and how altered they remain today. We’ve learned a lot, but even as the vaccine rollout speeds up, normal life in Northern California feels a long way off.

Finding joy and continuing to live becomes essential, even if how we do that changes to keep ourselves and others safe. In the March issue of Sensi NorCal, we’re celebrating the reopening of some personal care services with a story about local CBD-infused spa-cations. Whether you take a day trip or overnight getaway, you deserve a safe, stress-relieving break. If going out’s still not your speed, enjoy our features on the 2021 music scene and a make-at-home mocktail with cannabis, carrot, ginger, and apple.

How are you staying sane after a year of lockdowns, closures, reopenings—and repeat—in Northern California? Share your stories with me at jenny.willden@sensimag.com. Maybe your ideas will inspire me and others to try something new—like wearing real pants more than once a week.

Finding joy and continuing to live becomes essential, even if how we do that changes to keep ourselves and others safe.

Yours in sweatpants from my home office,

Jenny Willden @jennywillden

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New Wing & Barrel Ranch clubhouse brings a fusion of food, wine, and sporting-club action to the valley.

Discerning nature, food, and wine enthusiasts are flocking to Sonoma’s Wing & Barrel Ranch, a member’s-only sporting club overlooking Sonoma Creek and wine country’s agricultural lands. First founded in 2013, Wing & Barrel just completed its signature clubhouse with modern-rustic interior design and an expansive outdoor deck. Home to The Trap Bar, a cigar lounge, a stunning dining room, a pro shop, locker rooms, and an outdoor deck adjacent to the bocce ball courts, the clubhouse is the ranch’s social and culinary center. While indoor dining is on hold, farm-to-table patio fare and curated craft cocktails 12

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overseen by James Beard award-winning Chef Charlie Palmer are available on the deck.

Around the 1000-acre property, Wing & Barrel offers a luxurious take on outdoor adventures: world-class sporting clay shooting, fly fishing, upland bird hunting, and a planned archery range. Outdoor activities are open to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays but reservations are required due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Because sporting clubs have long been male-dominated, Wing & Barrel Ranch strives to welcome a diverse populace with programs for women, kids, and families.

Wing & Barrel Ranch / wingandbarrelranch.com

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL WOOLSEY, COURTESY OF WING & BARREL RANCH

Sonoma Swank

CONTRIBUTORS

Amelia Arvesen, Helen Olsson, Doug Schnitzspahn, Jenny Willden

BY THE NUMBERS

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Bath Time PHOTOS COURTESY OF LIFE ELEMENTS AND THE CALIFORNIA ARTISAN CHEESE FESTIVAL

Try this CBD bath bomb for a soothing soak.

Want to have a steamy stay-at-home date night? Put Barry White on the sound system, light a few rosewood candles, draw a hot bath, and drop in this bath bomb from Life Elements. Named after the Goddess of Love and crafted with 300 mg of organic CBD, the Venus bath bomb will set the mood. Natural ingredients such as sweet orange and sandalwood are blended in to promote intimacy and relaxation.

Once you’ve toweled off, play backrub club with the brand’s small-batch Plant-Based Body Oil. It blends 600 mg of full-spectrum, hemp-derived CBD and shea butter with ancient, nature-based ingredients like tepezcohuite, a bark extract used by the Mayan culture to treat skin ailments. Beyond serving as a massage aid, the body oil can go undercover in the bedroom as a lubricant.

Venus Bath Bomb, $28; Body Oil, $58 / lifeelements.com

MILLION Market value of a leprechaun’s pot of gold SOURCE: wallethub.com

376 WEEKS California’s longest drought since 2000, lasting from December 2011– March 2019

SAY CHEESE— VIRTUALLY

Popular California cheese festival goes online for 2021.

From gouda to cheddar, enjoy the California Artisan Cheese Festival’s flavors at home with a virtual grand cheese tasting. This cheese and treat party pack ships anywhere within the contiguous United States and includes a ticket to the virtual Grand Tasting on Friday, March 26. During this one-hour event, you’ll learn how to build an Instragrammable cheese board, go behind the scenes at California farms and creameries, and get a crash course in pairing cheese and wine from Gloria Ferrer’s pros.

Each tasting kit is $150 and includes at least 10 cheeses along with crackers, preserves, and chocolate for pairing. Tasting kits ship out the week of March 22, and 10 percent of kit sales support the nonprofit California Artisan Cheese Guild.

California Artisan Cheese Festival / artisancheesefestival.com

SOURCE: drought.gov

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MILLION Pints of Guinness consumed worldwide on St. Patrick’s Day SOURCE: wallethub.com

Our life is March $13 weather, savage AN HOUR and serene in one hour.”

California’s minimum wage as of January 2021 SOURCE: dir.ca.gov

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, author

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Below is the playlist I had on repeat while making Sensi’s first-ever music edition.

1 REBELS by Call Me Karizma 2 MOTOR MOUTH by Kai Straw 3 GRATEFUL by Spencer Sutherland 4 GUILLOTINE by Mansionair x NoMBe 5 MYSTERY LADY by Masego and Don Toliver 6 TOPDOWN by Channel Tres 7 PURPLE HAT by Sofi Tukker 8 PUMP THE BREAK by morgxn 9 ALL THAT by Emotional Oranges 10 BROKEN PEOPLE by almost monday 11 WHO’S GOT THE WEED by G. Love & Special Sauce

Clickable Cannabis Spritz for relief with this waterbased cannabis mouth spray.

When you need a discrete dose of cannabis, skip the edibles and try Click, a water-based cannabis mouth spray. The use of advanced nanotechnology and a water-based emulsion gives Click sprays a higher bioavailability—allowing you to feel the full effects in as little as five minutes.

Made in Southern California and available throughout the state, Click is sold in Go, Restore, Chill, and Dream varieties to suit every mood. Each spritz contains 2.5 mgs of cannabinoids with 80 clicks in every bottle.

Spritz under your tongue to enjoy calorie-free Lemon Gingergrass, Tropicali, and Midnight Mint flavors. Recycling partnerships allow you to recycle used devices at select cannabis shops.

Click / clickspray.com

12 CAN’T BE HAPPIER by SJ & Sugar Jesus feat. Goldford

CLOVER CARAMELS PHOTO BY NADER KHOURI

Sweet CBD Treats

“WHETHER THEY’RE FOR GOOD OR BAD, ALL TRENDS IN THE UNITED STATES START IN CALIFORNIA.” —Steve Schmidt, a Republican strategist

San Francisco company brings gourmet caramel to California’s edible market.

Sweeten your CBD consumption with Clover Caramels: a newish CBD treat made in San Francisco. Clover uses a lab-tested, hemp-based CBD isolate that’s ultra-pure and contains no THC. Caramels are handcrafted in small batches with 20 mg CBD, clover honey, heavy cream, unsalted butter, and Maldon sea salt and contain no corn syrup or artificial ingredients. It’s a perfect edible alternative when you’re seeking calm without a high.

Clover Caramels, $35 for 10 / clovercaramels.com

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q u a l i t y

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p a s s i o n

HUMBOLDT

+

i n n o v a t i o n

VAPE TECH

Our most popular item … and a great holiday gift

The Hyperion USB chargeable Wide-mouth fill port for easy loading Easy to clean Compatible with all Sequoia Coils

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THE BUZZ

BAY AREA BREWS

Pocket pour-overs woo craft coffee lovers.

Whether you’re camping or traveling, don’t let your location keep you from a quality cup of joe. Kuju Coffee launched in the Bay Area after brothers Jeff and Justin Wiguna discovered their campground coffee didn’t live up to the inspiring landscapes of Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. Using ingenuity and engineering skills, the brothers acquired equipment and adapted it to make single-serve, pour-over style coffee filters that anchor to any mug.

Enjoy these pour-over brews wherever you wander, each one filled with fair trade, organic coffee that discerning java drinkers will love. Choose from coffee blends in light, medium, and dark roasts, or single-origin varieties ethically sourced from Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, and West Sumatra.

Kuju Coffee, $22–$30 for 10 / kujucoffee.com

VOX POPULI

Question: What is your favorite California CBD product?

JOSHUA BLUEGREEN- JEFFREY KOLSKY Cannabis Industry Consultant CRIPPS and OG Manufacturer

Owner, Bluegreen Media Company Santa Rosa

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KUJU COFFEE

___________________

I love MJ4Meds CBD Hydro Eye Repair and Face Creams. The company’s CBD oil drops and gummies are potent, and its topical CBD pain salve is as strong as owner Beth Buckley says it is.

In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.”

CRISTIAN CASTRO

ERIN HUNT MOORE

Novato

Director of Marketing & Operations, Humboldt CCTV Mckinleyville

Founder & Principal, Verdant PR & Marketing Healdsburg

___________________

___________________

___________________

I love Canna-Soothe lozenges from the original crew at Jolly Meds. These THC and CBD-infused lozenges are tasty, unique, and use full-spectrum extract, so the effects are more robust than other edibles. Plus, the packaging is reusable, easy to open, and compact.

Hands down, my new favorite cannabis product is Rosette Wellness Balance Cannabis Tincture. I’m a very active person who loves to be outdoors, and this product helps alleviate tension in my body before and after activity. There’s nothing better than feeling the breeze of The Lost Coast when it starts to work its magic.

I’ve really been enjoying Wunder, the low-dose, cannabis-infused sparkling beverage out of San Francisco. The flavors are beautiful, super balanced, and refreshing, not overly sweet or acidic.

Grapefruit Hibiscus is my go-to flavor right now; Blood Orange Bliss is a close second. The drinking experience is subtle and relaxing—perfect for brunch and happy hour. —Mark Twain, author

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THE BUZZ

LISTEN UP

How much you enjoy your music depends on how you hear it. These are Sensi’s picks for the best speakers and headphones we’ve tested in 2021.

HEADPHONES

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 With so many options on the market, it’s tough to say that one single set of headphones rises above the rest—until you try these. Sleek and comfortable on your skull, they deliver sound that’s so full it’s almost tangible. Eleven settings (Nigel Tufnel be praised!) let you dial in the amount of noise canceling you want, from none at all (smart for when you’re walking on city streets) to full-on (perfect for tuning out all the drama of being stuck at home). $380 / bose.com IN-EAR HEADPHONES

NuraLoop These easy-to-wear in-ear headphones are truly in your head—they adapt to your hearing. Say what? That’s right. They actually send sound into your eardrum that then informs the system about the best way to play for your individual hearing. The result is bass that hits the back of your brain and sharp clarity on every note.

TURNTABLE

Crosley Switch II Entertainment System A throwback to the days when a record player was the center of the musical $199 / nuraphone.com experience, Crosley’s practical system oozes retro cool and still cranks out SPEAKER pleasant sound. A belt drive keeps those JBL Party Box 300 45s and LPs spinning, and this set will add This sturdy, portable Bluetooth speaker turns any space into a mini-rave thanks to a groovy feel to any room—even when it’s a light system that synchronizes colors to not playing. the beat—and three settings mean you can $170 / crosleyradio.com pick up or slow down the tempo. Beyond the optics, it pumps out clean sound and runs on a rechargeable battery that keeps the party going for up to 18 hours. $400 / jbl.com

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COMPUTER SPEAKERS

Logitech Z313 Speaker System with Subwoofer This compact speaker and subwoofer set delivers deep, crisp sound and hooks up to a wide range of devices—from your laptop to your smartphone to your TV—as long as they have a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It’s the ideal music system for a workstation if you want to share tunes with your office mates, or, as things go in the days of COVID-19, if you just want to have your own private dance party in between deadlines. $50 / logitech.com

THE BUZZ

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

Trail Magic

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF KELTY, DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

An outdoor brand goes all in with CBD products meant to soothe hikers’ aches and pains.

Outdoor activities cause sore muscles. CBD is said to relieve pain. Even though the outdoor industry has dabbled in the cannabidiol market for a few years, it wasn’t until this year that a dedicated outdoor brand contributed its own formulations to the billion-dollar category.

In January, Kelty launched a collection of pain-relief salves, after-sun lotions, and antibacterial and itch-relief sprays for outdoorists. The longtime Colorado-based maker of tents, sleeping bags, and other outdoor gear sees the new CBD offerings as a natural brand progression.

“At Kelty, we’re all about spontaneous adventures, getting outside, goofing around, and having fun. But playing outside often comes with its own set of

of regulation of cannabidiol, but a new bipartisan bill introduced in the House of Representatives in February would allow hempderived CBD to be marketed and sold as a dietary supplement. If passed, it could also lead the US Food and Drug Administration to establish a regulatory framework.

CBD made its debut on a large scale to the outdoor industry—a nearly $800 billion business— in 2018, when manufacturers exhibited at Outdoor Retailer, the industry’s largest trade show, and now numerous athletes, from ultrarunners to surfers, are sponsored by CBD brands.

Specialty outdoor retailers stock topicals and capsules. And Kelty has set a direct-to-consumer precedent. Which outdoor brands will enter the market next?

challenges in the form of aches and pains,” says Russell Rowell, Kelty senior vice president and general manager. “Thanks to our new CBD products, we now offer another tool to help you go farther, higher, and faster—and to bounce back more quickly when you do.”

To create research-based formulas, Kelty consulted Arizona-based pharmaceutical producer e2e Pharma to formulate the new line of THCfree products. The collection is available at kelty.com/CBD. Financially, it’s a strategic move.

The CBD market is currently valued at approximately $4 billion. Market researchers like Grandview Research and BDS Analytics predict it will surpass $20 billion by 2025. Skeptics have been troubled by the lack M A R C H 2021

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Be Your Own Personal DJ Only you know the best soundtrack for your psychedelic journey.

PHOTO CREDIT

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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When you drink ayahuasca in the Peruvian Amazon, the shamans chant songs to orchestrate your experience, in every sense of the word. Known as icaros, the songs amplify your visions and drive the medicine deep into where you need it most.

Humans have known for centuries that music is the wind beneath the psychonaut’s wings, a tool that both fuels and helps to navigate sacred plant and fungi journeys. From the music that accompanied ancient Aztec mushroom and cacao ceremonies to Dead shows at the Fillmore, a great playlist is essential to a great trip.

Psychedelic therapists have been making playlists for therapy sessions since the earliest LSD experiments, and you can find a lot of them on Spotify and YouTube, along with current offerings from the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Conscious Research and many others (search “psychedelic therapy playlist,” “psilocybin playlist,” “LSD playlist,” or “MDMA playlist”). You can even find recordings of Maria Sabina, the first Mexican curandera to allow Westerners into psilocybin mushroom rituals in the 1950s. A little caution, however: Sabina was exploited by Americans and then persecuted

If you’re ready to take control of your own musical destiny in the cosmos, here are things to keep in mind as you make your playlist.

tions in depression. He found that the wrong music can be distracting and • Lean away from vocals and toward instrumake for a gobstopping mental music, chanting, or a collection of trip, amplifying feelings sounds. If you include songs with words, of resistance and negative look for lyrics in an unfamiliar language. emotions. His app, Wave• Stay away from jarring or discordant paths, allows therapists tunes or songs with unpredictable rhythm and patients to make their changes. own musical sequences, • Use calm music in the early stages to create leaving out anything that a sense of rest and safety. might bring up unwel• Alternate intense and calm tracks during come memories or resisthe peak stages. tance. Triggered by classi• Include emotionally evocative music only cal music? Brahms Sonata during peak stages. in B never has to be a part • Pay close attention to how songs transition of your journey. into each other.

Curating your own • Provide continuous music with minimal soundtrack for tripping is interruption. the best way. If you need • Emphasize variety. inspiration or guidance, • Use a high-quality source of music Helen L. Bonny and Walproduction. ter N. Pahnke, researchers at the Maryland Psychiscientist who calls music atric Center in Baltimore, by the people in her vilpublished a template for lage for her generosity, so “the hidden therapist.” selecting and structuring I’m not sure I would bring In an article about the that into my sacred space. playlist, Kaelen explains: psychedelic playlists in 1972 that therapists still “The idea here is to creThe Johns Hopkins follow today. Their seate a sense of ebb and Center’s playlist follows the formula established in flow that the participant quencing flows like this: the 1960s, heavy on West- can feel as a series of ten- • Pre-onset (0 to 1½ hours): quiet, neutral ern classical music. If that sion-and-release expe• Onset (1½ to 2 hours): riences. A playlist with just doesn’t do it for you, melodic, rhythmic the Multidisciplinary As- multiple peaks can also • Building toward peak help to titrate the expesociation for Psychedelic intensity (2 to 3½ rience and keep it from Studies (MAPS) offers hours): long, flowing getting too intense; peritwo playlists for MDphrases and dynamic MA-assisted psychother- ods of relief are built in.” crescendos In his own practice, apy featuring ethnic and • Peak intensity (3½ to Kaelen’s patients didn’t New Age music, and the 4 hours): powerful, Chacruna Institute’s psi- respond well to Western strongly structured locybin playlist on Spotify classical music. He plays • Re-entry (4 to 7 features indie, new wave, music that is personally hours): lighter, familiar meaningful to each perand rock. son, which results in more • Return to normal conThe Chacruna playsciousness (7 to 12 hours): list was developed by Dr. positive experiences and your favorite tunes.

Mendel Kaelen, a neuro- more significant reduc-

TUNING IN A recent study published in the Journal of Music Therapy found music integral for meaningful emotional and imagery experiences and self-exploration during psychedelic therapy.

“Music could convey love, carry listeners to other realms, be something to ‘hold,’ inspire, and elicit a deep sense of embodied transformation,” the authors wrote.

“Therapeutic influence was especially evident in music’s dichotomous elicitations: Music could simultaneously anchor and propel.”

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THE LIFE OLD SCHOOL

Vinyl Appeal A public and personal history of the rise, fall, and resurgence of records.

PHOTO BY KORIONOV, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT DAWN GARCIA

The Birth of Vinyl In 1877, Thomas Edison created what was known as the cylinder phonograph. While wonderful, there was no real way to mass produce it. But Emile Berliner created the mass-production flat phonograph record in the late 1880s. Berliner was able to tap methods used in a printing press to create audio recordings. As his access to enough funds presented a growth issue, he partnered with Eldridge Johnson, who would eventually take over, leaving Berliner on the outs. Johnson proved a

formidable partner who had strong relationships and access to capital. As a result, Johnson took over Berliner’s patents, pushing out any other competitors. He successfully launched the Consolidated Talking Machine Company, renamed in 1901 as Victor Talking Company, making his phonographs the most successful on the market.

Johnson grew the business through aggressive advertising. Inspired by British painter Francis Barraud, he adopted the recognizable iconic dog-and-phono-

graph logo, purchasing neath to store records the US usage rights to it. and accessories. By By the end of 1901, the 1906, he was marketing logo became synonythe new Victor-Victromous with innovative la to the wealthy at a listening devices. As the steep price tag of $200 industry became more (which in today’s market inundated with comis around $5,000). To petitors, Johnson (now his (and his employees’) referred to as Victor afsurprise, the Victroter his products) spent la was a hit and would too much time fighting be mass distributed by patent infringements by 1907. Having sold 15,000 competing businesses.

Victrolas at $200, the Those battles, however, company was primed for led him to further inno- growth and new models. vation when, in 1904, he Fast forward more began design on a new, than 100 years, and less massive turntable Victrola is still holding that was sleeker, had strong, adapting to the clearer sound, and inmodern market with cluded a cabinet underretro designs as a nod to M A R C H 2021

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THE LIFE OLD SCHOOL

its humble beginnings and implementing technology such as Bluetooth speakers.

How Vinyl Formed Our (Gen X) Childhood Those who remember the days when going to clubs meant the DJ was spinning records that weren’t plugged into their iPhones or laptops know that nothing quite compares to the feel and sound of a vinyl record. In spite of 2021 technology that blows our minds with kickass headphones, wireless sound systems, and the like, once upon a time in the 1980s, we misfit kids were stoked to get down with LPs and turntables.

Records were rad and we knew it—even if CD sales were starting to dominate.

We listened to our music on our parents’ old record players from the ’60s and ’70s. We were obsessed with John Hughes movies, The Breakfast Club, and bands like the Sex Pistols, Run DMC, and the

still dominating. In an article in Billboard magazine, an exec for United Record Pressing comments on the misconception of vinyl sales in the ’90s. “The seven-inch vinyl jukebox was [still] huge. And from my time working at labels at that point, I always duced me to Black SabBeastie Boys, and vinyl had stacks of 12-inch bath and Iron Butterfly. gave us an edge. We My mom introduced me singles behind my desk. were retro before we Most radio stations were to Carole King and The even knew it was cool.

Supremes. Music became using 12-inch singles, Turntables became our every birthday party DJ, the one thing I loved preferred mode of exevery roller rink, every pression and, thankfully, more than anything, particularly when played discotheque, and record our parents were onstores in general.” board (probably because on old-school turntaFast forward. Over they felt like their gener- bles. I’d head over to my the last few years, Gen ation was finally appreci- grandparents where my Z has taken a liking to grandma would introated and understood).

Crosley and Victrola Our record collections duce me to old Mexiportable turntables, and can love songs and my began growing, includgrandfather would teach young people own LPs. ing classics like Dylan, In fact the RIAA Music The Beatles, The Doors, me about the soul of Industry Revenue StaLatin beats. My othZeppelin, and a hearty tistics reported that, in er grandparents would dose of Barbra (hey, 2018, vinyl record sales Streisand still rules). But listen to the crooners— and I loved every part of were up 8 percent with bands such as Depeche $419 million in sales. No it. My sisters and I will Mode, The Smiths, Vione imagined that the never forget when we olent Femmes, and of pandemic would boost got Michael Jackson’s course the killer intro vinyl record sales, yet to Ice-T, NWA, Wu Tang Thriller album in 1982 last year, 27.5 million and turned our parents Klan, and The Fugees LPs sold in the United into fans. We played were infiltrating our States with a 46 perthat album so much, young minds with full cent increase over 2019. albums, rare singles, and we literally wore it out.

It seems vinyl records secret finds. Penny Lane When MTV played the have made a comeback, video, we’d hurry to the in Venice changed our turntable to keep up the and as a product of world; Tower Records the 1980s with teenage momentum, put on the lured us with crazy colchildren who asked for album, and perfect our lectibles; and Amoeba turntables and vinyls as Music ate up any money best zombie moves. gifts this year? I can say By the 1990s, record we were saving. that the vinyl record is sales were beginning to My parents gave in indeed hot. How gnarly show signs of waning, and let me borrow their is that? but vinyl singles were albums. My dad introM A R C H 2021

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THE LIFE RECIPE

Booze-Free Boost Freshen up with this cannabis-carrot concoction.

TEXT JAMIE EVANS

Kickstart March with this, cannabis-infused sipper packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh carrot juice adds delicious flavor and can improve your immune system, increase your metabolism, and help lower your cholesterol.

Carrot juice also pairs well with other fruits, vegetables, roots, and herbs, making it a wonderful mixer.

Try this refreshing recipe to help support

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your immune system or any time you need a pick-me-up.

Advice from Jamie Evans When making spiritfree mixed drinks, it’s best to stick with healthier options and avoid extra sugar. Use fresh-pressed juices over concentrates and source seasonal ingredients so you’re working with the freshest produce possible. The same goes for ginger beer—quality

matters. For example, Q Ginger Beer is spicy but not overly sweet.

Avoid mixers that contain high fructose corn syrup or a ton of added sugar. These can drastically change the drink’s profile. If you don’t have the supplies to make ginger simple syrup, substitute regular simple syrup, then add your favorite unflavored tincture (at your preferred dose) into the shaker tin before muddling.

THE LIFE RECIPE

Ginger Rabbit Recipe from Cannabis Drinks: Secrets to Crafting CBD and THC Beverages at Home / Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 2 ounces fresh-pressed apple juice 4 ounces fresh-pressed carrot juice 1½ ounces fresh lemon juice ½ ounce infused ginger simple syrup (find the recipe in Cannabis Drinks) Ice Splash of ginger beer (Q brand recommended, see note) Carrot greens, edible flowers, and slice of lemon for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• Muddle the ginger and apple juice at the bottom of a shaker tin. Muddle well to extract as much ginger flavor as possible.

• Add the carrot juice, lemon juice, and infused ginger simple syrup.

• Add ice, cover then shake for 15 seconds or until very cold.

• Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the solids from the liquids over a Collins glass filled three-quarters with ice.

• Top with a splash of ginger beer, give it a good stir with a bar spoon, then garnish with a sprig of carrot greens, edible flowers, and a slice of lemon.

TARGET DOSE Using the infused ginger simple syrup recipe in Cannabis Drinks, the target dose is 8 mg CBD and 2 mg THC per drink.

Or use your preferred dose with the commercially made CBD or THC tincture of your choice.

See advice from Jamie Evans.

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THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph is a professionally licensed intuitive reader in Las Vegas since 2002.

Author, radio host, and columnist, she created the Dice Wisdom app and is available for phone and in-person sessions. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

MARCH HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

friends, body, mind, and place JULY 23–AUG. 22 on your spiritual path. Be fas- LEO You’ve been dancing around cinated with all the events un- There will be a financial a relationship that you know folding for you. Your authentic shift that will get your atis not healthy or committed love is showing you your path. tention. It may be about reto you. This could be work or financing your home or getpersonal or both. It’s time for MAY 21–JUNE 20 ting your taxes done early. you to decide where you want GEMINI Something in that process to be as of July—because it You finally know that some- gets your attention. won’t be where you are now. thing connected with work is not working for you. It’s time AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 MAR. 21–APR. 19 to either let go of the job or VIRGO ARIES let go of the emotional bur- Recent events have given Your power is what you know. den that’s connected with you clear focus about your A project will present itself future. You are willing to do work. You are worth more. that you have earned the abilthe work to make that fiveity to engage and negotiate. JUNE 21–JULY 22 year plan a reality, even if It truly is your preparation that plan surprises the peoCANCER meeting a long-awaited opTell all the people who love ple around you. portunity. You’ve earned this. you that you will be off the SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 radar. This is the month to APR. 20–MAY 20 LIBRA dive totally into a project TAURUS The new beginning without distraction or perAll things are connected sonal critique. Finish the proj- you’ve been waiting for with love, so love your work, ect and refine it afterward. is presenting itself. It’s FEB. 19–MAR. 20

PISCES

PISCES, IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AS OF JULY— BECAUSE IT WON’T BE WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

time to place yourself in any area that allows you to employ your unique skills. Use the mantle of your new identity now.

for you to let go of a person who you can no longer help.

DEC. 22–JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

You came into this lifetime OCT. 23–NOV. 21 to live your truth. It’s seeSCORPIO ing past the immediate imThis month is the celebrapression and into the aution of meaningful partner- thentic level of things. ships, personally and profes- Your truth will be reflected sionally. Take a few minutes in many ways this month. this month and reach out to the people who have loved JAN. 20–FEB. 18 you and thank them.

AQUARIUS Success and karmic reNOV. 22–DEC. 21 wards are the vibration SAGITTARIUS this month. Doubts will There is no question that be washed away, so act as things have been challeng- though every phone call or ing for you. The good news meeting will result in an opis that things can only importunity. This is the time to prove from here. It’s time announce what you want.

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The

ART of the SPRING CBD SPACATION Here are the best spots where you can treat yo’self in Northern California.

TEXT JENNY WILLDEN

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FARMHOUSE INN

A

fter a year of California COVID-19 closures, we could all use a day of rest and relaxation. Seriously, when was the last time you enjoyed a spa day? If it was pre-COVID, your aching body is likely begging for a massage—or any restorative treatment that melts away stress.

While some favorite California spas remain closed, others have pivoted to operate safely during the pandemic. We’ve found seven winners stretching from Yosemite to Sonoma, each welcoming guests to (cautiously) indulge—and even make a weekend of the experience.

“We’re operating safely by offering ‘pod pampering,’” says Gigi Richardson, spa and wellness manager at Rush Creek Lodge Spa, near Yosemite National Park.

“Normally, our spa is adults only, but with our current exclusive-use packages, you can bring anyone in your pod.” Whether it’s a family get-together, birthday party, or wedding party, Richardson says, “If you have a pod of people, you can pamper yourself at our spa.”

Whether you have a pod or are flying solo, we’re going Sensi-style by focusing on CBD spa treatments and add-ons. While CBD massages and soaks sound different from your usual rub-down, they’re just traditional treatments performed with CBD oils, creams, and bath salts. Using them may reduce inflammation from injuries or strain, aid in muscle recovery, and reduce joint and muscle pain.

Ready to relax? Make a reservation for a CBD-infused treatment at these local hotel or day spas, or stay super safe and simulate a spa experience at home with a few of our product picks.

The Farmhouse Inn, Forestville Spoil your sweetie with a romantic spa day and stay at The Farmhouse Inn, one of Northern California’s top-ranked hotels. With only 25 guestrooms, the service is outstanding, and its Sonoma Russian River Valley location is tough to beat.

We’re obsessed with this inn’s outdoor grounds for strolling and relaxing at its superb spa. Choose a CBD Massage couples treatment and begin your treatment with a CBD bath-bomb soak in a private outdoor tub. Follow it with a CBD massage with oil containing lavender, avocado, and grape-seed oils for moisturization and better absorption.

Rush Creek Lodge, Groveland Pair epic outdoor adventures with relaxation at Rush Creek Lodge, a Yosemite gateway hotel launched by two Bay Area dads in 2016. Just beyond the park’s west entrance, the lodge is tucked on a wooded hillside and recently added a new 5,000-squarefoot spa that fuses relaxation with nature-focused experiences.

“The idea for the spa came from experiences I (and the owners) had in Yosemite,” says Richardson. “We wanted guests to experience the same things we have and designed our features to emulate park experiences.”

Yosemite-focused features carry into the spa’s design and treatments.

“We use water and stone as our themes.” says Richardson. “Water is such a healing element in so many ways, and stones are so grounding and magnificent in Yosemite.”

Visits start at warm waterfall coves inspired by Yosemite’s Carlon Falls, where you can lounge on granite rocks as water cascades over you. Guests often giggle and M A R C H 2021

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF RUSH CREEK LODGE

splash in the rushing water. This transformative spa experience was inspired by a real-life one Richardson had at the swimming hole.

“As the water rushed over me, I let everything that was bothering me wash down the stream,” Richardson says. “I called it a 2020 detox waterfall, and I felt healed by water and nature after a hard year.” When she shared this experience with the owners, they put a plan in motion to re-create it for spa guests.

The relaxation continues with lemongrass- and eucalyptusinfused aromatherapy in the steam room, followed by detoxification in a Himalayan salt sauna, and a spritz of cooling mist in a room that channels Yosemite’s legendary Mist Trail. A contemplative sensory room, zero-gravity chairs, mineralinfused hot tubs, and a granite waterfall add to the experience.

After a day of hiking in the park, you’ll love the Hiker’s Delight

massage with added CBD. Every massage incorporates heat, sound, and aromatherapy, but Richardson believes it’s CBD—with added Emu oil for better absorption— that takes the edge off the muscle pain and discomfort. For her, the primary perk is longer-lasting pain relief. “I feel more relaxed for longer. My muscles are not as static,” she says.

Richardson thinks this fusion of nature and relaxation makes Rush Creek unique. “It’s a traditional spa, but in a way that’s not like any other spa, by featuring the best of Yosemite’s iconic moments.”

requires immersion in a mixture of soft-ground cedar and rice bran with living enzymes. The treatment is said to improve circulation, cleanse your skin, and reOsmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, Freestone lieve joint or muscle pain. Pair it For a local day trip, zen out at with tea overlooking the Japanese Osmosis, a Sonoma County day garden and a CBD massage for tospa known for relaxing Japanese tal mind-body transformation.

Zen gardens and one-of-a-kind Although CBD is untraditional cedar enzyme baths. This Japafor this spa, it seems to be working nese bathing ritual is offered nofor clients. “We’ve used CBD in where else in North America and our massages for over a year now,”

The new spa at Rush Creek Lodge near Yosemite National Park

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Congratulations to the 2020 Feast of Flowers

WINNERS! Light Dep: Sativa 1st place - Full Moon FarmSPK (Sour Patch Kids)

2nd place - hilltop RanchPineapple Upside Down Cake

3rd place - hygro Humboldt/ Don Carlos- Mother’s Milk

Light Dep: INDICA 1st place- Old Briceland

Cannabis Co.- Ice Cream Cake

2nd place- Hygro Humboldt/ Don Carlos- Wedding Cake

3rd place- Canna Country- #3 GH7

Light Dep: HYBRID 1st place- Xotic Flavorz- Mac 1 2nd place- SoHum Royal- Orange Cookies/High Octane

3rd place- Humboldt Redwood Healing- White Runtz

Full Term: SATIVA 1st place- Whitethorn Valley Farms- Night Owl 2nd place- Sunnabis- Surfin Bird 3rd place- Hogwash PharmsMountain Medicine CBD 1:1

Full Term: INDICA 1st place- Savage Farms- Savage Zittles 2nd place Huckleberry Hill Farms- Mom’s Weed 3rd place- Whitethorn Valley Farms- The Fool Full Term: HYBRID 1st place- Sunnabis- Green Dragon 2nd place- Full Moon FarmBlueberry Muffin Gelato

3rd place- SoHum Royal- Orangia

Concentrate: 1st place- Bizybee Farms- Gelato (live) 2nd place - Old Briceland Cannabis Co. Willy’s Kush Cake (live)

3rd place- Huckleberry Hill Farm- Mom’s Magic (live)

thanks to all judges & participants!

Together we raised

$15,000

for our southern humboldt volunteer fire departments!

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PHOTOS (BELOW) COURTESY OF CALISTOGA MOTOR LODGE / (ABOVE) COURESY BLUE FOREST FARMS, CALIFORNIA COWBOY

says Heather Bishop, director of the Osmosis massage department.

“The results have been impressive, and after considerable research, we found a product that works best for this application.”

Osmosis uses Lacuna Botanicals because the company grows its own hemp and partners it with essential oils and terpenes for maximum absorption. “Their CBD creams help relax the muscle tissues more deeply and are especially good at addressing acute pain, like strains or sprains,” Bishop says.

Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, Calistoga Head to the top of Napa Valley for a soak in Calistoga’s legendary geothermal waters at this renovated motor lodge. MoonAcre Spa has bright, cheery design and the option for outdoor treatments. Start with a swim in three mineral pools fed by natural hot springs, then head to the spa for soothing salt, mineral, and CBD soaks.

Whether you’re feeling stressed, strained, or sore, this treatment

DIY SPA SUPPLIES Looking for at-home relaxation? These products create The CBD spa experience anywhere.

Blue Forest Farms Coast to Coast CBD Relief Lotion, $60 Relieve aches and pain while soothing your skin with this organic CBD lotion. Thanks to the reasonable price, it’s a winning option for do-it-yourself massaging on any sore spots.

Blue Forest Farms Light Side of the Moon Face and Body Scrub, $30 Reveal better, brighter skin with a gentle face and body scrub.

Boosted with hemp-sourced CBD and essential oils, this sugar-based scrub leaves your skin feeling soft and rejuvenated.

California Cowboy Yukata Robe, $148 Channel luxurious vibes in this cozy, stash-it-all robe made with bunny soft terry cotton. It’s more absorbent than standard cotton robes and features fun bonuses like a beer-bottle pocket, built-in bottle opener, and a dry pocket for stashing your phone.

leaves you refreshed without the cannabis high. Add a CBD massage to take your spa experience to the next level. Your muscles, joints, and skin will love the boosted relief thanks to hemp-

derived CBD cream. Lodge perks like free borrowable bikes and tasty cuisine at the new on-site restaurant, Fleetwood, make it worth a weekend-long visit.

Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, Calistoga First opened in 1952, Dr. Wilkinson’s has been reimagined for the 21st century with a new spa garden, inviting interiors, and a fresh take on the volcanic ash mud baths that made this resort famous. Score deals for grand

The indoor-outdoor MoonAcre Spa at Calistoga Motor Lodge

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

re-opening bookings and be one of the first to experience its mid-century inspired design, refreshed guestrooms, a new restaurant, and luxe spa with outdoor treatment rooms.

Though Dr. Wilkinson’s facilities are new, the mud baths harken back to the resort’s early days and use local waters rich in minerals to draw impurities from the skin, relieve pain, and improve skin conditions. Experience Doc’s classic treatment with The Works: a facial mask, mud bath, mineral whirlpool bath, steam room, blanket wrap, and a 30-minute massage.

Enhance your whirlpool bath with CBD Epsom salts for pain relief, or embrace the wine country location with The Calistoga Elixir: a mineral whirlpool bath featuring Epsom salts infused with grape

Boon Hotel + Spa, Guerneville Find an adult-focused wine country retreat at Boon, a small boutique hotel near the Russian River in quaint Guerneville.

BioSprit Day Spa, South Lake Tahoe Spend a night in the hip rooms Cap off a Tahoe ski trip with a or outdoor glamping tents and Hot Legs massage at this South enjoy daily breakfast delivered to Lake Tahoe day spa. Incorporating your door. If you’re here just for warm stones and oil, therapists the massages, you can still enjoy use relaxation techniques and the full-size pool, jacuzzi area, stretches paired with menthol gel and an honor bar stocked with to soothe skied-out legs. cocktail fixin’s.

Enhance your relief by addStill wary of indoor spa treating CBD to your massage for just ments? Take your relaxation out$20. It disrupts pain-signaling, side with outdoor and couple’s delivering lasting relief from joint massages available on request. and muscle pain caused by skiing. Add cooling CBD balm for just Complement the effects of CBD $20 to boost your massage’s relaxwith an InfraRed treatment that ation factor. Follow it with cruisin’ reduces pain and stiffness, boosts in the redwoods or sampling wine circulation, and can improve mo- nearby at Iron Horse Vineyards or tor function. classic Korbel champagne. skins, seeds, and oils enjoyed with a bottle of red wine. Add CBD massage oil to boost your relaxation and help your muscles unwind.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOON HOTEL & SPA

Boon Hotel + Spa's diverse lodging and lounging options

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Waiting on a Friend If we’ve learned one thing over the past year, we can probably all agree, it’s the value of delivery. Stuck at home and hungry, we placed 500 percent more Instacart orders than we had before the plague, and we paid DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Postmates $5.5 billion in combined revenue to bring us doughnuts, dumplings, and other delights from April through September of last year. Let’s not even talk about the money we’ve given Amazon.

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We learned we could get just about anything we wanted, from lightning cords to liquor, left at our doorsteps by masked angels otherwise known as essential workers. All we had to do was hop online and order through one of the many handy apps available to us. We could even get weed. Oh, wait. We could get weed delivered, but only if we lived in a certain dozen of the 50 United States— namely Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado,

Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont—and even then, maybe not.

Among the handful of states where cannabis delivery is allowed, regulation varies wildly, even from city to city and county to county. I spent half of last year in California, where all I had to do was hop on an app to get cannabis delivered, and the other half in Colorado, where delivery is legal but nonexistent—

and I felt the loss hard.

Once you’ve enjoyed the convenience of delivery, it sucks to be without it.

That’s another reason why cannabis delivery is the new industry darling, expected to provide the industry’s fastest-growing revenue stream by 2024, according to a report by ArcView Market Research and BDS Analytics.

It’s ridiculous and weird that Colorado, the pioneer in legal adult use, is so far behind in addressing delivery—

PHOTO BY EVGENIIAND, ADOBE STOCK

Lantern, a Boston-based delivery platform that connects cannabis users to licensed dispensaries, is moving into the virgin Colorado market. It’s about time. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

PHOTO BY KONSTANTIN YUGANOV, ADOBE STOCK

even after COVID-19 made cannabis use an increasingly crucial issue.

At this point, though, the problem isn’t really the state. Colorado lawmakers approved medical cannabis deliveries to begin in 2019 and recreational deliveries in 2021 but left it up to local governments whether to allow delivery or not. So far, only a small number of cities are saying yes. Medical deliveries are permitted in Boulder, Superior, and Longmont. Aurora (population 400,000) is the first Colorado city to allow recreational delivery.

Colorado might be late to the game, but it will always be a player.

Earlier this year, Aurora’s brand-new, wide-open delivery market caught the attention of Lantern, a Boston-based cannabis delivery platform that connects cannabis users to licensed dispensaries in Massachusetts and Michigan.

Lantern was developed and funded by Drizly, the largest online marketplace for alcohol in the United States, which saw online alcohol orders spike by 485 percent during the pandemic. Denver is Drizly’s third-largest market, and the data told them (though all they had to do was ask me) that Denver consumers want delivery.

“Residents of Aurora, whose city council

passed a vote in favor of recreational delivery in December 2020, will likely be the first in the state to access Lantern’s services once the city finalizes the permitting process,” says Meredith Mahoney, Lantern’s president. “Once Aurora’s local law goes into effect, customers over the age of 21 in Aurora will be able to conveniently place recreational cannabis orders online at lanternnow.com and have products delivered to their doorstep within an hour.”

Dispensaries pay Lantern a percentage of sales through the app, which offers users increasingly personalized product suggestions, whether they’re in the mood for gummies, vapes, or topicals. Users, who aren’t charged extra fees for using the app to streamline their searches, are directed to dispensaries that have what they need and trained dispensary personnel deliver their orders within an hour.

Business has been brisk, Mahoney says, as (in most states, anyway) the pandemic has accelerated the cannabis industry’s shift to e-commerce and delivery. “We believe that the demand for cannabis delivery will continue to grow and flourish post COVID-19, as an increasing number of customers integrate

“We believe that the demand for cannabis delivery will continue to grow and flourish post COVID-19, as an increasing number of customers integrate cannabis into their daily routines.”

—Meredith Mahoney, president of Lantern

cannabis into their daily routines.” In Michigan, where Lantern is available to customers in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Battle Creek, delivery orders increased 89 percent three days before Christmas, she adds.

In February, Uber announced its acquisition of Lantern’s sister company, Drizly, but Mahoney says that will not affect Lantern’s operations or mission. Lantern, which had been an independent subsidiary of the Drizly Group, will now operate as a fully autonomous private company.

“Lantern’s consumer-centric ethos was born out of Drizly’s founding vision to create a more streamlined e-commerce experience, and Lantern will continue to build its best-in-class logistics technology platform, which has already transformed the emerging cannabis retail industry,” Mahoney says. “The company was first-tomarket in Massachusetts and Michigan and is optimally positioned to continue expanding into new legal markets. The next few years will be consequential not only for the cannabis industry but also for the entire digital retail sector. Lantern is eager to set new standards for what is possible in both spaces.”

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Want a sample of our work? You’re reading it.

Em Agency is proud to be the creative force behind Sensi’s award-winning visual style.

We build brands we believe in—the brand you believe in can be next. emagency.com

THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: GROW YOUR GROCERIES CLASS: PREPARING A SPRING GARDEN

Volunteer Pie Baking with Uhuru Food & Pies Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays The Prep Station, Alameda Sign up on Eventbrite

Weekend Rise & Shine: Saturday Morning Hike Saturdays Claremont Club & Spa, Berkeley fairmont.com

Mission District Street Art and Food Walking Tour Saturdays and Sundays Misión San Francisco de Asís, San Francisco Tickets on Eventbrite

On the Calendar PHOTO COURTESY OF SOIL BORN FARMS

Kick off the season with outdoor, virtual, and socially distanced events across Northern California.

Explore murals, handicrafts, and the emerging food scene tucked in alleys on this in–depth walking tour of the Mission District.

Napa Valley Marathon and Half Marathon Now–Mar. 7 Virtual event napavalleymarathon.org

TEXT JENNY WILLDEN

With more events back on our calendar, things are looking up this spring in Northern California. Choose from virtual events supporting film and the arts or venture outdoors for in-person hikes, markets, and wine tours. Rigorous COVID-19 safety protocols, mask-wearing, and rules aplenty keep you and other attendees safe.

Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival Now–Mar. 13 Oakland Zoo, Oakland oaklandzoo.org

Deer Creek Hills Preserve Self– guided Hikes Saturdays, Now–May 30 Deer Creek Hills Preserve, Sloughouse sacramentovalleyconservancy.org

Virtual Starline Comedy Mar. 1, 8, 15, 22 Virtual Event Tickets on Eventbrite

Crocker Art Museum: Peace of Art Mar. 3 & 10 Virtual event crockerart.org

Enjoy a contemplative art break with this class teaching easy art and meditation techniques from a skilled practitioner.

Purchase a to-go bag from Crocker Art Museum if your art supplies are running low.

Laughs Unlimited: Inside Jokes Outside Laughs Comedy Series Various dates, Mar. 4–27 Laughs Unlimited, Sacramento laughsunlimited.com

R Street Marketplace Mar. 6, 20 1801 10th Street, Sacramento facebook.com

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c

w

is

h

en

all wom g n i all o love cannab

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

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THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: VIRTUAL TELESCOPE VIEWINGS RIGHT: MISSION DISTRICT STREET ART AND FOOD WALKING TOUR

topic each month.

Learn tricks of the trade to create and maintain a thriving edible garden.

PHOTO (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER; THE MISSION DISTRICT STREET ART & FOOD WALKING TOURS

Golden Gate Audubon Society: What Would US Climate Policy Look Like If People and the Planet Really Mattered?

Mar. 18 Virtual event goldengateaudubon.org

Virtual Public Wetlands Tour: City of Davis Wetlands

Hessel Grange New Play Brunch Virtual Cannabis Mar. 14 & Hemp Member Virtual event Hike the Land bstreettheatre.zoom.us Meeting with Clint McKay

Mar. 6 Virtual event yolobasin.org

Mar. 9 Virtual event hesselfarmersgrange.com

Virtual Telescope Viewings

Equity in Museums

Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27 Virtual event chabotspace.org

Join Chabot Space and Science Center’s resident astronomers on Facebook Live and YouTube for a night sky viewing using Nellie, Chabot’s most powerful telescope.

Akoma Outdoor Market Mar. 7 & 21 Liberation Park, East Oakland Tickets on Eventbrite

Mar. 11 Virtual event crocker.org

Art House Short Film Series Mar. 13 Virtual event jessupcellars.com

Watch four award-winning shorts paired with two specially selected Jessup Cellars wines and Chef–made, flavor-infused popcorn.

Enjoy an at–home brunch paired with virtual short play readings performed by your favorite actors. If cooking isn’t your jam, head to Sacramento’s Solomon’s Delicatessen for discounted housemade bagels and to–go mimosas using promo code: NEWPLAY.

Grow Your Groceries Class: Preparing a Spring Garden

Mar. 18 Pepperwood Preserve, Santa Rosa pepperwoodpreserve.org

Join Clint Mckay, Pepperwood’s Indigenous Education Coordinator, to explore plants traditionally used by the Wappo and Pomo people.

Event includes a slow-paced, 1–3mile hike.

Wine Road WINElove Weekend Mar. 19–21 Participating Wine Road Wineries, Sonoma County wineroad.com

Real Cannabis Entrepreneur Conference Mar. 26–28 Virtual event eventhi.io

Join 40 elite cannabis and CBD professionals from the comfort of your home and learn the secrets of breaking into this booming industry.

Sciences Saturday: Bees, Wasps, Honey, and Hives Mar. 27 Virtual event pgmuseum.org

Sensi Connects: Virtual B2B Speed Networking Mixer Mar. 1, 15, 29 Virtual Event sensi-ca.connect.space

Mar. 16 Virtual event soilborn.org

Take part in an inspiring presentation on a seasonal gardening M A R C H 2021

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THE SCENE

Julien Baker

Fresh Tunes

Check out the best new albums of 2021 so far.

TEXT JEDD FERRIS

Although brighter days are on the horizon, the timeline for when musicians can safely resume touring is still hazy.

The situation has forced many artists to stay productive by focusing

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on studio projects, with many being released in the early part of the year. From indie upstarts to established legends, here’s a look at 10 new albums coming by spring.

debuted Bonny Light Horseman, a new side project with fellow folk innovators Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Kaufman that earned two Grammy nominations. Not slowing his pace, JohnFruit Bats son is celebrating the The Pet Parade (Merge 20th anniversary of the Records) Fruit Bats by releasing Fruit Bats leader Eric D. the band’s eighth overall Johnson has been on a studio album, The Pet hot streak lately. In 2019, Parade, in March. Johnhe hit a creative peak son brought Kaufman with his main band’s onboard to produce the soulful album Gold Past album, and although it Life, and last year, he was made during quar-

antine with supporting players adding their parts remotely, it doesn’t sound like an isolated effort. Lead single “Holy Rose” is a powerful poprock song with orchestral sonic textures.

Same Spark: In February, Brooklyn upstart trio Wild Pink will release its anticipated next album, A Billion Little Lights. The effort blends earthy roots songcraft with indie inventiveness that will please fans of The War on Drugs.

The Hold Steady Open Door Policy (Positive Jams) The Hold Steady is back with more heavy riffs and vivid tales on its eighth studio al-

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF SUBPOP; BY ANNIE BEEDY

RELEASES

THE SCENE

PHOTOS (FROM TOP) COURTESY OF WILLIE NELSON; BY RENATA RAKSHA

RELEASES

bum, Open Door Policy.

Frontman Craig Finn’s narrative lyrics still dig into the dark side of the party, but with keyboardist Franz Nicolay permanently back in the mix, the band’s tight rock arrangements provide anthemic swells of cathartic redemption.

“Open Door Policy was very much approached as an album vs. a collection of individual songs, and it feels like our most musically expansive record,” Finn says of the new album, which was released on February 19.

Same Spark: Another stalwart rock act with a loyal following, roots heroes Lucero made its new album When You Found Me at the famed Sam Phillips Recording studio in the band’s hometown of Memphis.

Willie Nelson That’s Life (Legacy Recordings) The great news first: Willie Nelson, 87, has been vaccinated. Now the good news: the country legend is releasing his 71st album this year. That’s Life is Nelson’s second collection of Frank Sinatra covers,

following 2018’s My Way. Nelson has said that Sinatra had a big influence on his singing style, and he made part of his latest tribute to the late crooner at Hollywood’s Capitol Studios, where Sinatra recorded many of his beloved standards.

The songs of Ol’ Blue Eyes sound relaxed and comforting through the mellow voice of the Red Headed Stranger, especially the well-known title track and the breezy “Cottage for Sale.” It’s a record perfect for chilling out during our remaining days of hunkering down at home.

Same Spark: Singersongwriter Pete Yorn also went the covers route on his new LP, Pete Yorn Sings the Classics, a Bandcamp exclusive release that features takes on the Pixies, Bob Dylan, and The Beach Boys.

Julien Baker Little Oblivions (Matador) Julien Baker is known for her confessional indie rock songs usually delivered with sparse guitar arrangements and disarming vocal crescendos. Following a long touring cycle supporting her acclaimed 2017 album Turn Out the Lights, she took a break from music to finish college and reassess her

priorities. When she returned to the studio to record Little Oblivions, Baker’s vision expanded, and new tracks like the standout “Hardline” feature crashing drums and emotive keyboard layers.

The full sound adds new depth to her unflinching lyrical revelations.

Same Spark: Danielle Durack offers similar intimately intense songcraft on her new album No Place.

Valerie June The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers (Fantasy) Valerie June’s breakout album, 2017’s The Order of Time, was a roots-driven project, with tracks featuring the singer-songwriter’s alluring voice placed among primitive banjo tunes and jangly blues cuts. The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers—the muchawaited follow-up made with producer Jack

Splash (Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys)—finds June honing her stylistic leanings into celestial R&B that fits the record’s searching themes. The album’s opening threesong sequence, “Stay” / “Meditation” / “You and I,” is a sublime astral-soul suite that contemplates relationship dynamics.

“With this record, it finally became clear why I have this dream of making music,” June said in a statement previewing the new album. “It’s not for earthly reasons of wanting to be awarded or to win anybody’s love— it’s because dreaming keeps me inquisitive and keeps me on that path of learning what I have to share with the world.”

Same Spark: Lake Street Dive went into the studio with Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Fiona Apple), who helped shape the band’s next set of retro-minded soul-rock tunes. Obviously will be out March 12.

M A R C H 2021

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E WA N A B R A N D S

Available Now: Wana Delta-9 Gummies Looking for a delta-9 fast-acting vegan edible? The wait is over for Californians.

N

ext-generation fast-acting edibles offer an experience similar to inhalable cannabis, but without the smoke. Edibles make it easier to tailor the experience to the moment, whether that’s an energizing microdose before a midday hike, a quick boost during an impromptu gaming session, or a fast-onset dose for relaxation at bedtime.

Wana Brands launched its Quick Fast-Acting Gummies in Colorado last year. In less than four months, Wana Quick ranked #4, #6, and #7 out of the top 10 most popular edibles in the state’s adult-use market. Word-ofmouth buzz spread regarding the flexibility of these new products, and the

brand began hearing from consumers in other states, eager to find out when Wana would expand availability of rapid-onset gummies in their area.

For California consumers, the wait is over. Launching exclusively with MedMen dispensaries in March, Wana Quick Fast-Acting Gummies will be available widely in April. The Quick line includes happy hour–inspired flavors CBD/THC 1:1 Strawberry Margarita, Sativa Peach Bellini, and Indica Piña Colada, all featuring fast-acting technology paired with a class-specific, terpene-enhanced distillate.

“We believe that advances in one area should not require compromises in others. We searched for a year to find the best fast-onset technology,”

said Nancy Whiteman, CEO of Wana Brands. “We think we found the most effective technology in the industry while maintaining our high standards for overall great taste and quality.”

How do Wana’s fast-acting edibles work so quickly? With a traditional edible, THC absorption is slow. It must work its way through the digestive system, where the liver converts delta-9THC into 11-hydroxy-THC. This not only takes a while, but the resulting high has a different, heavier body-feel with effects lasting for up to eight hours.

Wana Quick Fast-Acting Gummies use Azuca’s groundbreaking TiME (Thermodynamic Individual Molecular Encapsulation) technology to encapsulate THC in water-soluble particles.

Water-encapsulated THC is readily absorbed into the bloodstream before it hits the digestive system, resulting in a fast-onset delta-9-THC high similar to smoking. Rapid-onset effects occur in less than 15 minutes for most people and can last from 2 to 4 hours.

Effects also fade more quickly, in line with a smoking or vaping experience.

As such, Wana Quick is the only gummy in California offering the trifecta of a quick onset (5–15 minutes), a rapid offset (2–4 hours), and a delta-9 smoker’s experience.

“Wana Brands infused-edible products always have been a good choice for health-conscious and active consumers,” Whiteman continued. “Now that we have removed high-fructose corn syrup from our gummies, consumers have one more great reason to experience our cannabis-infused gummies.”

Wana Brands North America’s No. 1 cannabisinfused product manufacturer. www.wanabrands.com M A R C H 2021

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THE END

Bowling Ball Beach Capturing sunrise along the Northern California coast. TEXT JENNY WILLDEN area’s beauty inspired him to start capturing images again in 2014.

On an April night in 2018, Musgrove ventured to Schooner Gulch State Park in Mendocino County to photograph a rare geological phenomenon.

“A friend and I rode up the coast to Bowling Ball Beach to shoot the uniquely aligned concretions during the morning’s low tide,” he says.

“We found the location in the total darkness of a clear, moonless night and saw the bowling balls ex-

posed through sunrise.”

These spherical rocks are best observed at low tide when uncovered by water. The phenomenon occurs when mineral cements bind grains of sand or stone into larger formations that erode over millions of years.

PHOTO BY CLINT MUSGROVE

After living around the country, photographer Clint Musgrove and his family settled east of San Francisco in 2002.

He fell in love with Northern California landscapes, and, after he took a break from photography for years, the

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Fruity (or veggie) cocktails

LIGHTING THE PATH

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Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

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MOTHER NATURE PROVIDES

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WICKED IRISH

Where to celebrate St. Patty’s Day

TAKING ROOT

Hunt to Eat initiatives support Earth and equity

Cannapreneur April Arraste founds a new brand in Jamaica Plain

WINK WORLD The latest project from the founder of the Blue Man Group

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Defense of vinyl in the 21st century

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FOR THE RECORD

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

C O LO R A D O

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

MARCH 2021

LIGHTING THE PATH

Expanding cannabis delivery

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A defense of vinyl in the 21st century

SPRING SPA-CATION Area resorts bring CBD to your self-care day

LKYM NO OTHER Yonatan Elkayam riffs on how COVID-19 has changed music

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