Sensi Magazine New England - May 2021

BUILDING BOSTON

Serving cannabis and community

HALF-VAXXED

Is it really safe to travel?

IT HAPPENED HERE

How King Soopers changed Boulder

NEW ENGLAND MAY 2021

THIS IS AN EDIBLE Local companies are changing the way we consume

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sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

FEATURES

30

38 30

In Good Company

CNA Stores on Boston’s North Shore builds community in more ways than one.

It Happened Here

A Boulder, Colorado, resident reflects on how to move forward after the American nightmare came to her town.

DEPARTMENTS

13 EDITOR’S NOTE 20 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 14 THE BUZZ HALF-VAXXED Is it really News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop CANNABIS CAREERS

CannaCareers helps launch BIPOC folks into cannabis-industry jobs.

BUD & BREAKFAST Book a cannabis-friendly getaway.

THIRSTY? Cannabis-infused seltzer just in time for summer A COOLER LIFE Reduce your use of petroleum-based plastics. #PUMPKINHEAD One of New England’s favorite beers, redux

safe to travel yet?

ONE-HIT WONDERS The

joy of the one hitter

HOROSCOPE What the

stars hold for you

48 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town MEET ME AT THE TABLE

Local cannabis-optional dining for any occasion CULTURAL CALENDAR Live and socially-distanced events around New England

ON THE COVER

Dinner at Mary’s delivers DIY cannabisoptional meal kits to customer’s homes.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SUTORIUS

56 THE END A unique chapel in Vermont celebrates our canine companions.

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Women working in cannabis deserve better, so

WE BUILT BETTER

JoIN Us

womenempoweredincannabis.com/join

ADVISORY BOARD

COLORADO Agricor Laboratories Testing Lab Aspen Cannabis Insurance Insurance Services Canyon Cultivation Microdosing Cartology Corporation Cartridge Filling Equipment + Hardware Colorado Cannabis Company THC Coffee Concentrate Supply Co. Recreational Concentrates Emerald Construction Construction Green Edge Trimmers Trimmers Higher Grade Boutique Cannabis Hybrid Payroll Staffing & HR Benefits Jupiter Research Inhalation Hardware Lab Society Extraction Expert + Lab Supplies marQaha Sublinguals + Beverages Monte Fiore Farms Recreational Cultivation Northern Standard History of Cannabis PotGuide Cannabis Culture Source CO Wholesale Consulting Terrapin Care Station Recreational Dispensary Toast Mindful Consumption Uleva Hemp Products Wana Brands Edibles Witlon Inc. Payroll Processing SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Accucanna LLC Desert Hot Springs: Dispensary EventHI Events Flourish Software Distribution Management Helmand Valley Growers Company Medical Infrastructure Specialist HUB International Insurance Hybrid Payroll / Ms. Mary Staffing Staffing & HR Benefits Ikänik Farms Cannabis Distribution Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor Wana Brands Edible Gummies Witlon Payroll

NEVADA Eden Water Technologies Water System Technologies Green Leaf Money Canna Business Finanacing GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing Ideal Business Partners Corporate Law & Finance Jupiter Research Inhalatation Hardware Matrix NV Premium Live Resin Red Rock Fertility Fertility Doctor Rokin Vapes Vape Technology This Stuff Is Good For You CBD Bath and Body NEW ENGLAND Corners Packaging Packaging Curaleaf Veterans Cannabis Project Flourish Software Seed to Sale Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations PotGuide Travel & Tourism Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary Royal Gold Soil Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations

MICHIGAN Aronoff Law (Craig Aronoff) Licensing Law Firm Cannabis Counsel Cannabis Law Firm Etz Chaim Attestations Great Lakes Natural Remedies Lakeshore: Provisioning Center Kush Design Studio Cannabis Facility Design & Build LC Solutions Michigan PLLC Accounting/CPA Services Michigan Creative Branding MRB Solutions Human Resources Northern Specialty Health Upper Peninsula: Provisioning Center Oh, Hello Branding Promotional Marketing Perry & Drummy Inc. Commercial Insurance Pure West Compassion Club Caregiver Connection & Network Rair Medical Flower Solutions by Dr. Dave West Michigan: Hemp CBD Helping Friendly Hemp Company Hemp Topicals NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 365 Recreational Cannabis Dispensary: Recreational, Santa Rosa Convergence Laboratories Cannabis Testing Laboratory Green Unicorn Farms CBD Hemp Flower Humboldt CCTV Smart Ag Tech Humboldt Patient Resource Center Dispensary: Humboldt Humboldt Vape Tech Vape Accessories Kushla Life Sciences Cannabis Formulation and Products Red Door Remedies Dispensary: Cloverdale Southern Humboldt Royal Cannabis Company Mixed Light Farming Sonoma Patient Group Dispensary: Santa Rosa Strictly Topical Inc./Sweet ReLeaf Pain Relief Topicals Superbad inc. Premium California Cannabis Uleva Hemp Products Vaper Tip Vape Supply & Consulting Wana Brands Edible Gummies

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EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder + Editor in Chief stephanie.wilson@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor Tracy Ross Managing Editor, Michigan Emilie-Noelle Provost Managing Editor, New England Debbie Hall Managing Editor, Nevada Jenny Willden Managing Editor, NorCal Dawn Garcia Managing Editor, Southern California Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large Mona Van Joseph Contributor, Horoscopes Radha Marcum Copy Editor Bevin Wallace Copy Editor DESIGN

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Josh Clark Designer BRAND DEVELOPMENT

Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach Amanda Patrizi Deputy Director of Global Reach Tuva Hank Music Director, Sensi Presents Neil Willis Production Director 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 Mike Mansbridge President Lou Ferris Vice President of Global Revenue Chris Foltz Vice President of Global Reach Jade Kolb Director of Project Management ADVERTISING

Nancy Reid Director, Team Building, Sensi East Joel Bergeson Director, Team Building, Sensi West PUBLISHING

Jamie Cooper Market Director, Michigan Abi Wright Market Director, Nevada Richard Guerra Market Director, New England Nancy Birnbaum Market Director, NorCal Diana Ramos Market Director, Oklahoma Rob Ball Market Director, S. California Angelique Kiss Market Director, S. California

MEDIA SALES

COLORADO Liana Cameris Media Sales Executive Tuva Hank Media Sales Executive Amanda Patrizi Media Sales Executive Tyler Tarr Media Sales Executive NEVADA Pam Hewitt Media Sales Executive NEW ENGLAND Jake Boynton Media Sales Executive MICHIGAN Kyle Miller Media Sales Executive Leah Stephens Media Sales Executive

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S

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2021 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

Summer is on its way, and my family and I—and

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FAC E B O O K Like Sensi Media Group to infuse your newsfeed with more of our great cannabis lifestyle content.

TWITTER Follow @sensimag for need-to-know news and views from Sensi headquarters.

I N S TAG R A M Pretty things, pretty places, pretty awesome people: find it all on @sensimagazine

nearly all of our friends and relatives— are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. I feel like celebrating. Although I’ve never been one to throw a big party (I’m pretty introverted), there are few things I enjoy more than a delicious, leisurely dinner— preferably one where I don’t have to clean up afterward—with the people I care about most seated around the table.

If you’re also finding yourself in a celebratory mood (it’s May after all!) or you just want to treat yourself, don’t miss this issue’s cannabis-infused dining roundup. From meal kit delivery services to private catering and members-only supper clubs, there are more options in the Boston area than I realized. One of the best things about these services is that the cannabis part is always optional, so you can invite anyone to the table.

Events (and virtual events) over the past 14 months have also made it clear how important it is to treat one another with kindness and respect and, for those of us who can, to give back to our communities. CNA Stores, a Massachusetts cannabis company featured in this issue, has embraced those values wholeheartedly.

In addition to providing customers with high-quality products, CNA has partnered with local nonprofits and initiated some of its own programs to feed thousands of hungry families, care for homeless veterans, help seniors with snow removal, raise money for cancer research, and even clean up the Merrimack River. It’s a model for businesses of any type to follow.

Happy May—and happy spring!

All the best to you and yours,

Events over the past 14 months have made it clear how important it is to treak one another with kindness and respect and, for those of us who can, to give back to our communities.

Emilie-Noelle Provost @Emilie_Noelle

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Become a Cannabis Pro A partnership among NYC nonprofit Women of Color in Cannabis, Quality Control Analytics, and THC Staffing, the CannaCareers program started in 2020 as a way to help people of color and others unexpectedly unemployed or with reduced work hours due to COVID-19. The free job-training program includes a webinar learning series that covers developing 14

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retail skills, the basics of cannabis cultivation, and trends in the cannabis industry. Participants can also take advantage of a free 30- to 60-minute resume review.

CannaCareers also offers a free live skills-development webinar with subject matter experts. Additionally, check out their resource library of downloadable PDFs for tips and tools for crafting re-

sumes, navigating the job application process, and complying with state cannabis regulations.

Their site also lists current job openings at cannabis-industry companies that have been vetted for safe work environments for BIPOC candidates. Are you an employer looking to post a job? Just fill out a quick form on the website. wocc.world

PHOTO BY FIZKES, ADOBE STOCK

CannaCareers helps launch BIPOC folks into cannabis-industry careers with resources and training.

CONTRIBUTORS

Emilie-Noelle Provost, Stephanie Wilson

BY THE NUMBERS

$205

The average amount spent by a US family on Mother’s Day gifts and celebrations each year SOURCE: National Retail Federation

3 DAYS

Bud & Breakfast

Book a cannabis-friendly getaway at this artsy cabin.

Located in Granby, Massachusetts, this two-bedroom cabin is 4/20- and dog-friendly and includes a modern kitchen, a woodstove, high-speed internet, an outdoor gas grill, central heat, and air conditioning. It even comes with linens. Available to rent for under $140 a night, the cabin’s serene wooded location in the southern Berkshires is close to hiking trails, and is ideal for a socially distanced getaway or for working on that novel you’ve been meaning to finish. The screened-in back porch will keep the bugs away while you enjoy the wooded view. airbnb.com

The typical amount of time an American mom takes off of work to care for sick kids each year SOURCE: SWNS Digital

84.5

MILLION

The number of mothers in the United States, according to the 2010 US Census SOURCE: US Census Bureau

14.

1 PERCENT The percentage of US moms who received an electronic device for Mother’s Day in 2019 SOURCE: Forbes.com

THIRSTY?

This cannabis-infused seltzer is the perfect beverage for balmy weekend afternoons.

Made in Georgetown, Massachusetts, using locally grown flowers, each 12-ounce LEVIA cannabis-infused seltzer contains 5 mg of THC and is sugar- and calorie-free. Available in a choice of sativa, hybrid, or indica strains, LEVIA seltzers come in three fruit flavors: raspberry lime, lemon lime, and jam berry. Guaranteed not to produce a hangover, it is ideal for backyard barbecues or relaxing weeknights. LEVIA is available at more than 45 local dispensaries. Check out their Where to Buy page to locate the dispensary nearest you. $7 per 12-ounce bottle. levia.buzz

May: the lilacs are in bloom.

Forget yourself.” ―Marty Rubin, contemporary Canadian author and writer

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 DID YOU KNOW? The average four-year-old child laughs 300 times per day.

2 BY CONTRAST, it takes two months for the average 40-year-old adult to laugh that many times.

3 LAUGHTER IS INDEED GOOD FOR YOU. According to the Mayo Clinic, in the short-term, a good laugh stimulates your organs, increases your intake of oxygen-rich air, activates and relieves your stress response, and soothes tension. Long term, laughter can improve your immune system, relieve pain, increase personal satisfaction, and generally improve your mood.

4 CANNABIS MAKES YOU LAUGH MORE. It stimulates the area of your brain associated with laughter.

5 MORAL OF THIS STORY: you should get high and giggle more.

It’s good for you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHIPYARD

#Pumpkinhead

“HOW SILENT ARE THE FOOTSTEPS OF SPRING!” —Henry David Thoreau, 19th century Massachusetts author and conservationist

What looks and tastes like one of New England’s favorite beers but gets its kick from cannabis?

Two Maine-based companies, Shipyard Brewing and Novel Beverage, teamed up to create this thirst quencher made with the same ingredients as Shipyard’s popular Pumpkinhead beer. Instead of alcohol, however, each 12-ounce bottle contains 5 mg of THC. According to Novel Beverage, the drink’s effects can be felt within 15 to 20 minutes after consuming it and last an average of 2.5 hours.

Novel has also recently partnered with Sea Dog Brewing to create a cannabis version of the company’s Blue Paw blueberry-wheat ale. Available at Maine dispensaries. $7 per 12-ounce bottle. shipyard.com

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

LIZ MICHALSKI Novelist Haverhill, MA

___________________

I know spring is finally here when I wake up in the morning to light and birds chirping instead of darkness.

Question: When do you know that spring has finally arrived?

MADELAINE HAMILTON Student Teacher Somerville, MA

___________________

It’s finally spring when it’s warm enough to wear cuffed jeans and the days are noticeably longer.

ALYSON AIELLO

GINA TEMPESTA

Digital Marketing Manager Newburyport, MA

Video Producer Melrose, MA

___________________

___________________

I start craving dishes like pasta tossed with lemon, feta, herbs, and asparagus, paired with a crisp sauvignon blanc.

For me, a sure sign of spring is the smell.

There are not a lot of flowers blooming, but I open up the windows and smell the warmth and fresh air.

LAURIE JACQUES MEADE Secretary Whitman, MA

___________________

When we open up our cabin on the lake, we get our first smell of pine trees. When I hear the chirp of a chipmunk or loons calling, I know spring has finally arrived.

LIVE A COOLER LIFE “Be like a Enjoy the outdoors while reducing your use of petroleum-based plastics. flower and turn your face to the sun.”

Warm weather in New England means days on the beach, camping trips with friends, and burgers sizzling on the grill. If you’re in the market for a new cooler to keep your bevies cold and your hummus fresh but don’t like the idea of creating more plastic waste, a cooler from Taiga’s Terra Collection might fit the bill. Available in four colors, these 27-quart coolers are made from environmentally friendly hemp-filled polypropylene. With 2-inch-thick walls and a 3-inch-thick lid, it’ll keep things frosty while traction feet keep it from sliding around in the back of the car. Made in the USA. $199.

—Kahlil Gibran, 20th century Lebanese-American writer, poet, and philosopher

taigacoolers.com

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Vegas, Half-Vaxxed Hotels and casinos are begging tourists to return to the Strip. Is it safe? Is it worth it?

A week before our trip, Leah sent me an article that was giving her cold feet. “Crowds swarm the Las Vegas Strip as casinos reopen,” The Hill headline screamed. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak had signed an emergen20

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cy directive increasing capacity at casinos and other venues from 35 percent to 50 percent. A photo showed a throng of people, some masked and some not, strolling shoulder-to-shoulder along the Strip.

Leah and I chose Vegas as a meeting spot because it was easy for both of us to get to, halfway between our homes in Colorado and Oregon.

With everything running at 35 percent capacity, it seemed like a safe

enough destination—and it didn’t hurt that the Four Seasons was offering a stay-two-nights-gettwo-free deal. We made plans to check out the scene at a few local dispensaries, get work done by the pool, enjoy a few

PHOTO BY NEON BRAND, UNSPLASH

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

amazing meals, and maybe play a little blackjack.

The last time Leah and I traveled together, to a mushroom hunt in Long Beach, Washington, she got COVID-19. I, miraculously, did not.

“If I get sick, I’m never traveling with u again, ha ha,” she texted.

But the weather forecast was perfect—sunny and mid- to high 70s, a far cry from snowy Boulder and dreary Portland.

And so many people had already been vaccinated.

We promised each other we would be zealous about social distancing and double masking and hand washing and all the things.

A couple days later, I sent Leah a Huffington Post article saying that catching COVID-19 twice is rare. “They’re just guessing!” she texted back. “I’m fine. If I die after the Four Seasons, I’ll die happy!”

“See you in Vegas,” I wrote.

Safety in Seatmates I needed this trip. After

three years of living on the road and wintering in warm climates, I’d settled down in a condo, endured a winter, and limited my travel to only what was necessary— that mushroom hunt in the rainy Northwest and a couple trips to Omaha to visit my daughter. Neither destination did anything to satisfy my deep, primal need for an afternoon spent dozing under a palm tree. Ideally, that palm tree would be on a beach, but given the cir-

cumstances, the socially distanced Four Seasons pool would do.

When I flew Southwest to Portland and Omaha, the airline was blocking off middle seats—an unexpected little COVID-19 benefit that took a lot of stress out of being in the C group. That ended on December 1, 2020, so I spent the extra $20 for early bird check-in to give myself an advantage in finding a safe seat. As I filed in with the A group, I spotted an older woman sitting up front in a middle seat and grabbed the aisle seat next to her.

“Just so you know, I’m fully vaccinated,” she said after I buckled up.

Yes! “That’s why I picked you,” I said, settling in for a relaxing trip.

At the hotel, a bellman stopped us on our way to the front desk and asked us to stand in front of a machine that took our temperature. I was nervous, the way you feel when a cop pulls up behind you, even when you’re not breaking any laws. What would happen if my temp was elevated from lugging my big bag and from my excitement about traveling again? Who would take me in if I had to quarantine in Vegas? Why had I done this to myself when I was this close to getting vaccinated?

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THE LIFE

PHOTO OF SCULPTURE BY LIBERTY ANN, UNSPLASH

I sighed with relief when the bellman said my temperature was 98.7 and promised him I would come down every 24 hours to check it again.

(Spoiler alert: I forgot.)

at well-spaced slot machines and lonely dealers sanitizing chips behind plexiglass. It was so quiet, and everybody looked a little confused, like they’d forgotten how, exactly, they were supWinning Without posed to behave in pubPlaying lic (let alone Vegas).

The Four Seasons and “Do you want to Mandalay Bay are at the play?” I asked Leah as we south end of the Strip, passed the slots. away from the main hus“No one’s winning,” she tle. We were expecting it said, and she was right. to be quieter there. We The absence of ding-dingjust weren’t expecting dings was loud. it to feel like we’d been Another surprise that dropped into Mormon contributed to the Morgambling camp. mon camp vibe: 7 p.m.

Granted, we visited (or earlier) closing times Sunday through Tuesat nearly every Mandalay day—the slow part of Bay restaurant. Really? any week anywhere, pan- Desperate for sustenance demic or not. But it was at 7:15, we traipsed back eerie to walk through through the casino and the Mandalay Bay casino up to our room to orand see a smattering of der a cheeseburger and people sitting joylessly a pizza from a special

abbreviated COVID-19 room service menu. The food wasn’t up to Four Seasons standards, but it wasn’t prohibitively expensive, and our room had a decent view of the half-lit Strip.

We reserved a poolside cabana for the next day for roughly the cost of that free night we were getting and felt, all in all and given the circumstances, like we were winning.

ists have been trickling back in since hotels and casinos began to reopen in June, but the town is a ghost of what it was in 2019. Visitors and hotel occupancy have death spiraled by more than half, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Nevada needs tourists for its economy like I need palm trees for my sanity.

It relies on tourism dollars more than any other state in the country, and Masks Down, Hair Up it’s doing everything it Last March, when the can to bring people back. neon lights blinked off Hotels and casinos are and #VegasStronger offering crazy deals to messages (#VegasStrong lure work-from-anywhere had already been used nomads, and TV commerfor the 2017 shooting) cials are calling on people blinked on, it was the to “let your hair down, first time the Strip had but keep your mask up.” shut down since PresiMandalay looked to be dent John F. Kennedy’s hitting about 50 percent funeral in 1963. Touron those suggestions.

The south end of the Strip, away from the main hustle, remains eerily quiet.

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PHOTO (FROM TOP) BY NEON BRAND; COURTESY CEASAR ENTERTAINMENT

THE LIFE

And while you’d love to think all those unmasked tourists had been vaccinated, that would be an oxymoron.

At the Four Seasons pool, the staff did their best to get people to keep their masks on, and their job wasn’t easy. The policy was that you could have your mask off if you were actively eating or drinking, so all you had to do was keep your hand on a drink or even an open water bottle to get a pass.

We were allowed to take off our masks inside our cabana, and I forgot to put it on when I went to the bathroom more than once. We’ve been doing this mask thing for a year now, and sometimes I’m still a moron.

A Mob at the Flamingo We had planned to hike Red Rock Canyon after picking up libations at the Apothecary and cannabis superstore Plan-

et13, but transportation was proving a problem.

We had to wait 20 to 30 minutes for Lyfts and had our hearts broken a couple times by noshows. One driver told us people weren’t driving because they’re getting unemployment. Then he pointed out the row of pylons lining the street and said they were there to stop cars from mowing down tourists.

We couldn’t risk a noshow Lyft at a remote canyon 25 miles away from our hotel, so we pivoted—and took a wrong turn. We should have gone back to the Four Seasons pool. Instead, we did a Google search for quiet spots in Vegas and ended up smack dab in the middle of the Strip at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino. The Art Deco relic built by Bugsy Siegel in 1946 (and rebuilt in 1953) includes a Wildlife Habitat that Vegas.com prom-

kicked in and a constant stream of people strolled by, stopping to pose in front of incarcerated flamingoes and pelicans.

By the time we got a Lyft, it was 5 p.m. We headed straight for the Border Grill at Mandalay Bay and ate flank steak at a corner table in the bar.

Service was a little slow because the bartender was serving everyone in the bar area while also ised would “feel miles making drinks for everyaway from the hustle and one in the restaurant, bustle of the resort.” but he made us a special The place was mobbed. raspberry-lemon drop It’s hard to say why. May- mocktail that was worth be everyone Googled the wait. “quiet spot in Vegas” that It felt festive, even if it day or maybe it’s listed was only 5:30. We toastsomewhere as a great ed, to sunshine and palm place to get Instagram trees, zombie tourists pics with birds. We took and depressed flaminrefuge on a bench as goes. To Vegas at its our cannabis beverages weirdest ever.

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THE LIFE

VECTOR BY GOOD STUDIO, ADOBE STOCK

WELLNESS

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THE LIFE WELLNESS

One-Hit Wonder It doesn’t take much to revamp your mind.

The one-hit wonder. In the world of popular music, it’s a somewhat dismissive term. It’s a slight to the bands and artists who enjoyed one hugely successful song (think “MMMbop,” “Walking on Sunshine,” or “867-5309/Jenny”), then more or less disappeared into showbiz oblivion.

Personally, I would rather have one hit instead of none. And I often can. That’s because at my house, the term “one-hit wonder” is shorthand for the cannabis cocktail hour, when, sometime around 5 or 6 p.m., I smoke one hit and instantly leave all the Zoom calls, texts, emails, pop-up schedules, news alerts and noise of the day behind.

It’s an incredibly liberating feeling. Opening the doors in my head to new ideas, suddenly solving problems to things that just an hour earlier I thought I might never quite figure out, thinking of how I really might finish writing a new book—The Ghost Hotel—this fall, or just kicking the soccer ball for my big dog, Moses, while I move the backyard hose around.

The concept of the onehit wonder is something I discovered researching my first book, The Monster, a

kind of allegory about how we might take control of the ways we confront the monsters in our personal lives—whether they be disease, mental strife, addiction, or alcoholism—by “turning a light on.”

During my research, I met a rolfer who was instrumental in helping my wife and I on the path to better health. Once, after a particularly therapeutic session, I asked him how he managed the cycle of processing all of the hurt he was healing. Or, in other words, how he made sure he wasn’t holding onto other peoples’ shit.

He said, “Every night when I get home, before I walk in the house, I smoke one hit then go hold on to an iron rod in my courtyard until I feel like it’s all gone. Then I can go be with my family for the evening.”

“One hit?” I said.

“That doesn’t seem near enough for all the problems you’re solving.”

But he was already back to focusing on my health— in particular, a lingering knee injury he thought was exacerbated by my reluctance to release my grief over the recent death of my dog Tobear, a barrel-chested, willful, very

TEXT PETER KRAY

funny Malamute-Labrador mix we had nicknamed, “The Mighty Burrito.” The rolfer said, “You need to stop looking at your feet so much when you walk.

Look where you’re going.

Look at the horizon.”

Which is something I still think about when I go for a long walk. Albeit the one-hit thing is what I think about the most. At the time I was writing that book, it slowly dawned on me that I was also writing it to help myself.

It was a period in my life when I wasn’t satisfied with just one of much of anything. And cannabis—along with good beer, bourbon, and crisp reposado—was key to treating every day as part of some extremely casual long-working weekend, something Ernest Hemingway called, “the fiesta concept of life” in his final—and I think finest— book, a Moveable Feast.

The beauty of getting back to one sublime moment or lasting sensation, one perfect pint of cold IPA, one fine glass of pinot noir with fresh pasta, or one fragrant inhale of the sweet leaf to remember the magic of each day was still a couple years down the tracks.

It’s the savoring of things, and sometimes the scarcity, that gives them meaning. It’s by being in the moment that you heighten the pleasure and increase the memory of each event. And it’s so much more enjoyable than the monotony of gluttony—of having so much of something that the only remarkable aspect is of how much you can cram in your garage or stuff in your mouth.

You know that feeling you get when you first hear a song that you know you will love forever, and every time you play it again, it takes you back to the first time you heard it? That’s what I’m talking about.

I read once that when Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys founder and architect of the California surf sound, first heard The Ronettes classic wall of sound masterpiece, “Be My Baby,” he had to pull over to the side of the road because it impacted him so much. In 2013 he told The New York Times, “In a way it wasn’t like having your mind blown, it was like having your mind revamped.”

That’s the way I feel when I enjoy my one hit at the end of the day. Then I walk out onto my patio to look at the big, blue beautiful world, as I smile and wonder about it all.

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

Peter Kray is the author of The God of Skiing. The book has been called “the greatest ski novel of all time.” Buy it here: amzn.to/2lmzpvn

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PUBLIC

RELATIONS CANNABIS

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This product has not been analyzed or approved by the FDA. There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast- feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The intoxicating effects of edible products may be delayed by 2 hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 OR 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA.

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

MAY HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

APR. 20-MAY 20

TAURUS

It’s time to accept that what you bring to the world is about to be acknowledged and appreciated. Be brave.

Present your amazing ideas, and they will fall on the right ears. Embrace the challenge.

to be called back because of your skills, patience, and experience. Cooperate with the right people, and doors will open.

JULY 23-AUG. 22

LEO

SEPT. 23-OCT. 22

LIBRA

You have been more productive in the last three months than most people—and it shows through the excellence and experience of your new skills. You’ve discovered the thing that works for you. Now you get to move forward.

There’s a stepping stone that’s either an opportunity MAY 21-JUNE 20 to teach you what you don’t OCT. 23-NOV. 21 GEMINI know or bring you to that Cooperation is the word of the next level in your career or SCORPIO month. Get people to agree, love life. Either way, you will Things are lining up for you sign, and commit without un- be introduced to the A list. to be very specific with your means to end goals. It might dervaluing you and how you be time to think about where can help them. Agree only to AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 your skills would translate total commitment without VIRGO compromise this month.

May is not the action month into a different industry. The for you to prove your med- universe is ready for you.

JUNE 21-JULY 22 dle; it’s the month to be preNOV. 22-DEC. 21 CANCER pared for what happens in Many good choices will pres- June. Gratitude goes a long SAGITTARIUS ent themselves this month. way. Step into that awesome You’ve just been rewarded by information previously withYou will be one of the people spotlight this month.

TAURUS, BE BRAVE. PRESENT YOUR AMAZING IDEAS, AND THEY WILL FALL ON THE RIGHT EARS. EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE.

held from you. Get very clear ognizing the people who are on what you really want and good and kind to you withbe ready for an opportunity out asking you for anything. to present itself in July. Patience has served you well. FEB. 19-MAR. 20

PISCES

DEC. 22-JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

It’s time to allow something a little more creative into your life. It could be as simple as investigating things for others because they don’t have the time or playing bass guitar on call for local bands.

Make sure it’s joyful.

Be the queen or king of cooperation this month. Your new beginning will present itself; you will be noticed for what you may do. Right now, be as helpful as you can without gagging at the political circus around you.

MAR. 21-APR. 19

ARIES

Communication is essential AQUARIUS this month. Update your conYou have incredibly high nections on social media and standards for yourself, align with the people who and sometimes those stan- represent your future, not dards fall over to the peoyour past. What you begin in ple around you. Start by rec- May will flourish in July.

JAN. 20-FEB. 18

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IN GOOD COMPANY

This cannabis business on Boston’s North Shore builds community in more ways than one.

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CNA STORES

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Growin g the Industr y.

Upcoming shows are: Oklahoma City, OK May 27-28 Detroit MI, June 25-26 Chicago IL, August 6-7 Biloxi MS, September 17-18

Shop, Learn, and Network at the Nations Leading Cannabis Conference and Expo.

Tickets at CannaCon.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF CNA STORES

W

hen recreational cannabis was legalized in Massachusetts in November 2016, many cities and towns in the Commonwealth panicked. Under no circumstances did some municipalities want a cannabis dispensary within their borders. What type of people would such businesses attract? How would their presence affect the community?

CNA Stores (cnastores.com), with locations in Amesbury and Haverhill, sought to change hearts and minds on Boston’s North Shore.

To begin the process of changing preconceptions about cannabis businesses, CNA partnered with a number of local nonprofits and developed community programs.

Robert DiFazio, a US Navy veteran, engineer, and former tech entrepreneur who lives in Amesbury, founded CNA Stores in 2018. The company’s first retail dispensary opened in Amesbury in January 2021. Since then, the company has grown quickly. CNA’s Haverhill location opened this past November.

Starting with just five people in 2018, the company now has

30 employees. They are currently building a cultivation facility in Amesbury, and DiFazio plans to open another dispensary in Boston within the next year—initiatives that will increase the company’s workforce to 100.

Along with growing the business, DiFazio and his team are cultivating a company culture that is service oriented and socially responsible. “It’s in our company’s DNA to give something back,” DiFazio says. “There’s nothing more rewarding than surprising someone with something good.”

One such CNA initiative is the Snow Angels program, which was started in Amesbury by the company’s director of business development and community outreach, Scott Winters. Prior to CNA, the aptly named Winters had offered seniors and disabled people snow removal help after storms. CNA’s Snow Angels program included residents in Haverhill and served more than 40 households during the winter of 2020-2021. Often DiFazio would plow people’s driveways with his own truck.

“Most people don’t think about it, but without help [with snow removal] these people can’t get out of the house to buy groceries,” Winters says. “Haverhill’s city government set up a telephone number that residents could call if they needed help digging out,” DiFazio says. “It’s fun and really rewarding. My 16-year-old son is helping out and learning a lot.”

Much of CNA’s charitable work has been focused on the local veteran community. DiFazio sits on the board of the Veterans North East Outreach Center (VNEOC), based in nearby Lawrence. The organization, which was launched in 1985 to assist veterans of the Vietnam War, provides food, career services, and education to more than 50,000 area vets and their families each year. VNEOC also helps to provide homeless veterans with supportive housing.

During the 2020 holiday season, CNA Stores gave out 17,000 cases of food, both in Amesbury and in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood alongside volunteers from the Dorchester Community Center M AY 2021

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CNA STORES

and veterans’ organization Mass Fallen Heroes, according to Winters. “Some of the food boxes went to veterans and their families directly,” DiFazio says. “Others were distributed to churches and local charities.” DiFazio and his wife, Joy, funded the project, as well as provided storage space for the food at CNA’s Haverhill facility. “A lot of people were hit hard this year by COVID,” Winters says.

Even people too young to shop at CNA Stores have benefitted from the company’s charitable work. For three years, CNA worked with local nonprofit Tammie’s Closet, founded in 2013 by Amesbury resident Betty Vitale-Neal in memory of her 19-year-old daughter, Tammie, who was killed in car accident in 1996. The organization provided free prom dresses and accessories to girls in the Amesbury area who couldn’t afford to buy them. CNA offered storage space for the dresses and other goods.

“Unfortunately, Tammi’s Closet was forced to close due to issues relating to COVID-19,” Winters says. “But we hope they’ll be able to get up and running again soon.”

DiFazio and some CNA employees are also supporting LUNGSTRONG, a local nonprofit that raises funds for lung cancer research. As members of LUNGSTRONG’s Pan-Mass Challenge team, DiFazio and CNA participants ride bicycles nearly 200 miles across Massachusetts, from Sturbridge to Provincetown, over the course of two days each August. In 2020, LUNGSTRONG’s Pan-Mass Challenge team raised more than $11,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. DiFazio has been riding in the event for the past M AY 2021

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simply helping and friendly!

thehelpingfriendlysalve.com wholesale information email cs@thehelpingfriendlysalve.com or call 800.656.3534

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CNA STORES

eight years. “I won’t stop until I can’t ride a bike,” he says.

On the business side of things, DiFazio also has big plans for CNA Stores. Along with Winters, who has been an advocate for medical-use cannabis for the past several years, DiFazio believes cannabis has potential to help people manage medical conditions like epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“We can do so much good in our industry as a whole,” he says. “Part of our five-year plan is to become a multi-state operation. As soon as it becomes legal in New York and

Florida, we will be in those places.

Imagine how many people we can help and the jobs we can provide.”

DiFazio’s compassionate nature naturally extends to his employees, who he says “work with him, not for him.” “People enjoy coming to work because we have a such a positive culture. Sometimes I have to remind them to go home,” he says. “Our org chart is turned upside down. I’m at the bottom.”

Both DiFazio and Winters feel that their efforts have helped CNA Stores and cannabis gain more acceptance from the local community, Haverhill

in particular. “I spend a lot of time talking to Amesbury’s mayor, letting her know what we’re up to,” DiFazio says. “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.”

CNA’s latest charitable activity?

An Earth Day effort to clean up the Merrimack River, which runs through both Amesbury and Haverhill. DiFazio and some of the company’s employees went out on a barge and pulled trash and debris from the water. “Things like this are a great way for me to get to know my employees better,” DeFazio says. “And we get to help the community, too.”

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SANTEE, CALIFORNIA. GRUNDY, VIRGINIA. MADISON, MONTANA. MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI. METEOR, WISCONSIN. COLUMBOS, OHIO. BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN. RED LAKE, MINNESOTA TACOMA, WASHINGTON. GOLETA, CALIFORNIA. BART TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA. SALT LAK CITY, UTAH. BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA. CRANDON, WISCONSIN. OMAHA, NEBRASKA. ARVADA COLORADO. TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS. KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI. DEKALB, ILLINOIS. SKAGIT WASHINGTON. COVINA, CLIFORNIA. GENEVA AND SAMSON, ALABAMA. CARTHAGE, NORTH CAROLINA. BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK. COLLIER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA. FORT HOOD TEXAS. SAIPAN, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. APPOMATTOX, VIR GINIA. HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT TUSCON, ARIZONA. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. COPLEY TOWNSHIP, OHIO. CARSON CITY NEVADA. SEAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA. IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA. CHARDON, OHIO. OAKLAND CALIFORNIA. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. AURORA, COLORADO. OAK CREEK, WISCONSIN. COL LEGE STATION, TEXAS. NEW YORK, NEW YORK. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. BROOKFIELD WISCONSIN. CLACKAMAS, OREGON. NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT. WEBSTER, NEW YORK. SOUTH VALLEY, NEW MEXICO. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. HIALEAH, FLORIDA. SAYLORSBURG How do you move PENNSYLVANIA. WASHINGTON, D.C. FORT HOOD, TEXAS. ISLA VISTA, CALIFORNIA. SPRING forward when TEXAS. MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON. PORTLAND, the AmericanOREGON. MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA TYRONE, MISSOURI. WACO, TEXAS. CHARLESTON, Nightmare comesSOUTH CAROLINA. CHATTANOOGA, TEN NESSEE. LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. HARRIS, TEXAS. to your town?MONETA, VIRGINIA. ROSEBURG, OREGON COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. SAN BERNADINO, CALIFORNIA. KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN HESSTON AND NEWTON, KANSAS. KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. It happened here.

PIKE, OHIO. BELTSVILLE AND BETHESDA, MARYLAND. ORLANDO, FLORIDA. DALLAS, TEXAS ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN. BATON ROUGE,TEXTLOUISIANA. MUKLITEO, WASHINGTON. CITRONELLE ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE ALABAMA. BURLINGTON, WASHINGTON.PHOTOSTOWNVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. BROWARD, FLOR ELLIOT WHITEHEAD IDA. SCHOFIELD AND ROTHSCHILD, WISCONSIN. CINCINATI, OHIO. FRESNO, CALIFORNIA KIRKERSVILLE, OHIO. LINCOLN, MISSISSIPPI. SANDY, UTAH. EATON TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVA NIA. ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. CLO VIS, NEW MEXICO. PLANO, TEXAS. ANTIOCH, TENNESSEE. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS. TEHAMA, CALIFORNIA. AZTEC, NEW MEXICO. HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORA DO. BENTON, KENTUCKY. MELCROFT, PENNSYLVANIA. PARKLAND, FLORIDA. YOUNTVILLE CALIFORNIA. SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. SANTA FE, TEXAS. SCOTS DALE, ARIZONA. TRENTON, NEW JERSEY. ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND. JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA ABERDEEN, MARYLAND. FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA. ROBBINS, ILLINOIS. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. SEBRING, FLORIDA. ASCENSION AND LIVINGSTON, LOUISIANA. AURORA, ILLINOIS. POWAY, CALIFORNIA. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO. VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA. GILROY, CALIFOR NIA. EL PASO, TEXAS. DAYTON, OHIO. MIDLAND-ODESSA, TEXAS. SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO. ORINDA, CALIFORNIA. SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA. MIRAMAR, FLORIDA. PENSACOLA, FLOR DA. JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY. WHITE SETTLEMENT, TEXAS. GRANTSVILLE, UTAH. MILWAU KEE, WISCONSIN. ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN. ROCKFORD, ILLINO SUNRISE, FLORIDA. MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA. BUFFALO, MINNESOTA. ATLANTA, GEORGIA. BOULDER M AY 2021

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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

I

was struggling to write an article about a breakup with my yoga studio when my daughter called to tell me there was an active shooter at the neighborhood grocery store that we have frequented almost daily for 25 years.

I abandoned the prose (which no longer mattered) and hopped online to learn what I could from live news reports and social media.

It got worse and worse. I stumbled on a live video, then switched it off when I saw bodies. We heard rumors of six people dead. Then the official report: 10 humans gunned down, some as they were bagging groceries and helping customers navigate the self-checkout system (as they had so many times for me).

I told my kids to be prepared

because surely, we would know at least one victim. We did.

realize, of course, that we were all aging together, as oblivious to the wrinkles and gray hairs on each WHAT WAS LOST other as we were to our own.

Teri Leiker was a fixture at our King I mostly hated the time I spent at Soopers, and she made a difference King Soopers, to be honest. When in my life. She was always smiling, I was a working mom, Sunday visibly happy about making sure afternoon meant piling my cart my groceries were bagged properhigh with carefully planned and ly. We made small talk. When I was selected food to feed my family all crabby (admittedly too often), she week. It was the first place each of tried to cheer me up. I could meamy kids rode their bikes to without sure the depth of my bad mood by me or their father to accompany whether she was successful or not. them (and I was a nervous wreck She usually was, at least briefly. both times). When they went off When you go to a place for 25 to college, I wandered the store years, the people there become like aimlessly, completely perplexed family. Teri wasn’t the only workabout how to feed only myself and er at the Table Mesa King Sooptrying to figure out what single ers who seemed to love her job. I people eat. I imagined myself used to joke that the workers there spending purgatory pushing a cart never quit and never aged. I didn’t through those aisles, indecisive and (continued) M AY 2021

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desperate for sustenance, buying Chef Boyardee Beefaroni because it was there and reminded me of my childhood.

It’s about all of us, of course.

My community is suffering shock and grief after this shit that plagues our country—the shit that could never happen here—came THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS to our town. We don’t know what But this isn’t about me. It’s not to do with our personal grief, about any of us who rush to pubour broken connections. Some lish when tragedy strikes. I was find comfort in comments full of annoyed, at first, that so many of prayers and heart emojis. Othmy friends posted on social meers will join physical vigils, some dia about their relationship to the more political than others, and store, how many times they’d fre- find solace in the solidarity. I’m quented it, how it could have been going to one tonight because I them or their loved ones. This can’t be the person who grieves isn’t about you, I wanted to say, alone—not for this one. because sometimes I try to bury We will light candles and cry my sorrow in unjustified righand probably hug (even though teousness (and it never helps). we’re not supposed to). We will

honor 10 dead souls, and we’ll promise never to forget. We’ll debate gun control and maybe talk a bit about mental health, post more thoughts and prayers and emojis.

Then we’ll do nothing again and watch in horror as history repeats.

And when it does, at a shopping mall or a school or on a random street in the next town that will be forever remembered by a massacre, people like me will rush to put words to the unspeakable and offer up their affiliation with the scene of the crime as a reminder that this could happen anywhere.

The shock. The grief. The words that make no difference. This is life in America.

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THE WATERS FOUNDATION FOR DOGS Set up in honor of Jody Waters, who was killed in the King Soopers shooting, this nonprofit continues her lifelong dedication to saving rescue dogs.

Learn more here: thewatersfoundation.org.

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Meet Me at the Table

Step aside, gummy bears. These local companies are working to redefine our idea of cannabis edibles while providing foodies and cannabis lovers alike with exciting and sophisticated options for celebratory dinners, socializing, and everyday meals.

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

For better or for worse, the past year has changed the way most of us eat. We’re dining out less and making more meals at home. When we do treat ourselves to a restaurant meal, we’re more particular about where and what we’re eating than in the past.

Sensi New England readers have reason to rejoice in these local cannabis- and CBD-in-

fused meal options that range from home-delivered make-it-yourself dinner kits to private catering and high-end group dining experiences suitable for celebrating just about any major life milestone.

LEFT: Dope Dinners Boston RIGHT: Dinner at Mary’s

Dinner at Mary’s A meal kit delivery service with a twist, Dinner at Mary’s offers customers kits to make canna-

bis-infused dinners at home. Delivered every Thursday to addresses in the Greater Boston area, the kits include enough local organic ingredients to make a three-course meal for two. Ingredients come pre-measured and you’ll receive easy-to-follow cooking directions.

Dinner at Marys’ kits also include a free but optional vial of cannabis-infused olive oil that can be used to enhance ingredients. Specific instructions give customers the ability to control THC levels, making the

meals suitable for just about anyone. dinner-at-marys.com

Dope Dinners Boston Owned by a husbandand-wife team of chefs, Dope Dinners Boston offers private catering in customers’ homes.

THC- and CBD-infused menus serve a minimum of six people, customized according to clients’ preferences and special occasions. Seasonal ingredients for Dope Dinners’ meals are sourced locally whenever possible. In addition to doing M AY 2021

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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

all of the cooking, the Dope Dinners team will also set the table, serve, clear, wash dishes, and clean up your kitchen afterward. Sit back and enjoy your company over delicious food. dopedinnersboston

Eat Sacrilicious Eat Sacrilicious also offers private cannabis meal experiences in the Boston area. Similar to a supper club, Eat Sacrilicious serves dinners at set places and times. Tickets for dining “events” are available for purchase by Eat Sacrilicious’ members on the company’s website (memberships are free to anyone over 21). Dinners range from five to eight courses. The meals, which also include wine and cocktails, lean gour-

met. Although events are currently on hiatus due to COVID-19, they are expected to resume soon. eatsacrilicious.com

Mass Cannabis Chefs Another supper clubstyle dining company, Mass Cannabis Chefs serves meals that are “cannabis-friendly.”

Membership is free to anyone age 21 or over.

Guests are encouraged to arrive an hour or two prior to serving time and to bring their own cannabis products to use or share while mingling with other diners. Guests also have the option of enjoying a cannabis-infused dinner.

The chef individually creates each diner’s meal in accordance with his or her usual cannabis consumption and

personal preferences.

Diners are encouraged to hang out and socialize after the meal is over.

Mass Cannabis Chefs also offer vegan-friendly experiences. Keep an eye on the company’s website for announcements about upcoming dinners. masscannabischefs.com

PotLoveDinners PotLoveDinners, located about 20 miles west of Boston, is a membership-based dining club offering scheduled dinner events as well as private catering

services. Founded by a Culinary Institute of America graduate and a local entrepreneur, both of whom are cannabis advocates, the company focuses on using high quality, locally sourced ingredients in everything it makes. The company makes cannabis-infused baked goods, including muffins, cookies, and bars, that members can enjoy at home. Membership to PotLoveDinners is free to anyone over the age of 21.

TOP LEFT: Eat Sacrilicious TOP RIGHT: Mass Cannabis Chefs BELOW: PotLoveDinners

potlovedinners.com

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THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: LAWRENCE BROWNLEE IN CONCERT RIGHT: WOMEN OF PETERBOROUGH WALKING TOUR

Windows on Pawtucket – Public Art Installations

Vermont Cannabis and Hemp Convention

May 1-15 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI artleagueri.org

May 9-10 Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, VT headyvermont.com

Women of Peterborough Walking Tour May 7 The Monadnock Center for History and Culture, Peterborough, NH monadnockcenter.org

Now in its 4th year, The 2021 Vermont Cannabis & Hemp Convention is the largest, longest running industry B2B event in the state with more than 100 exhibitors and 2,000 attendees.

Discovering Lowell Thomas

Hope, happiness, and fun are in the air along with May’s warming temperatures and colorful blooms.

May 11 Virtual manchestervermont.com

The Nature of Spring

May 14 Shalin Liu Performance Center, Rockport, MA rockportmusic.org

May 8 Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, Easthampton, MA massaudubon.org

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

Whether you’re in the mood for an outdoor walking tour or looking forward to your first live concert of 2021, these virtual and socially distanced in-person events will motivate you to get out of the house.

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We HeART Fall River Festival May 8 Downtown, Fall River, MA vivafallriver.com

Trans Cinema and Its Futures May 12 Higgins School of Humanities Clark University, Worcester, MA clarku.edu

Livingston Taylor

From upbeat storytelling to touching ballads, Livingston Taylor is known for his ability to take audiences on a musical journey, performing across

PHOTO COURTESY OF MUSIC WORCESTER

Cultural Calendar

Explore places where women made their mark.

Guides will discuss a variety of women, from the mill girls who worked in the early 19th century textile industry to others who transformed downtown in the early 20th century.

THE SCENE CALENDAR

TOP: LIVINGSTON TAYLOR LEFT: SPRING FESTIVAL RIGHT: KATE REDGATE

genres, including folk, pop, gospel, and jazz.

Chris Marolda Live May 27 THC The Hops Company, Derby, CT thehopscompany.com

Art in Bloom May 14-16 Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA fitchburgartmuseum.org

Jake Owen May 29 Bank of NH Pavilion, Gilford, NH banknhpavilion.com

BEANStock May 15 Portland Sports Complex, Portland, ME necann.com

Cyanotypes: Alternative Printing Techniques May 15 deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum, Lincoln, MA thetrustees.org

Singer/ Songwriter Seth Adam May 15 Hop Culture Farms & Brew Co., Colchester, CT hopculturefarms.com

Spring Festival May 15 Seven Cedars Farm, Smithfield, RI visitrhodeisland.com

Local vendors will sell honey, photography, paintings, handmade crafts, jewelry, delicious baked goods, and more. Rain date is May 16.

Ganga Jayanti Yoga Life Festival May 16 Sat Manav Yoga Ashram, Industry, ME satmanavyogaashram.com

Mini Bridal and Event Expo May 16 Douglas Orchard & Farm, Douglas, MA discovercentralma.org

Lawrence Brownlee In Concert May 22 Virtual musicworcester.org

May 29 The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH themusichall.org

With 25 years of performing and American tenor songwriting under Lawrence Brownlee her belt, Midwestwill perform his ern transplant and Songs of My Youth award-winning songprogram during writer Kate Redgate this virtual prehas assembled an sentation of the all-star rock & roll Music Worcester band to back up her 2020-2021 concert powerful vocals and season. showcase her intimate songwriting.

May 29 Museum of Newport History, Newport, RI newporthistory.org

Five Seconds of Summer May 30 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT mohegansun.com

Wildquack Duck Race & Music Festival May 30 Jackson Village Park, Jackson, NH jacksonnh.com

Memorial Day Parade May 31 Saco Avenue, Old Orchard Beach, ME oobmaine.com

Walking Tour of Monument Square May 22 Loring Greenough House, Jamaica Plain, MA jphs.org

Demystifying Bats

Macayú Trio

May 21 Virtual massaudubon.org

May 23 Eustis Estate, Milton, MA historicnewengland.org

Dandelion Run

TeamWalk for Cancer Care

May 22 Derby Beach House, Derby, VT kingdomgames.co

Kate Redgate

Walking Tour: Discover Colonial Newport

May 23-Sept. 1 Virtual lowellgeneral.org

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E G R E E N U N I C O R N FA R M S

Green Unicorn Farms Fills the Gap These low-THC flower experts offer trust, quality, and reliability.

G

reen Unicorn Farms was born at the tail end of 2019 when its fouders saw a gap in the market for a brand that could deliver consistent, quality, affordable CBD hemp flower online to customers all across the US. Green Unicorn searches far and wide for the latest and most popular CBD strains to add to its curated selection. The result is an ever-expanding menu of low-THC flowers to meet the needs of this rapidly growing product category within the CBD industry.

For Green Unicorn Farms, education is key, which is why the company goes

the extra mile to provide as much information as possible to help guide its customers’ journeys. Green Unicorn even offers an AI shopper on its website to help first-time buyers find the right products, with the ultimate goal being to help people living as a better version of themselves by offering a wide range of wellness products that can be used from dusk till dawn.

The founders of Green Unicorn Farms, Christopher Leonard and Robert Hising, have years of experience helping build and grow brands in the cannabis and CBD space with their agency Cannaverse Solutions.

The insights they have gained from this experience help them navigate the many challenges a new company faces when launching into a competitive marketplace.

Green Unicorn Farms doesn’t stop with low-THC flowers though. The company has ambitious goals for the high-THC cannabis market as well.

With a fun and approachable brand architecture, the company is currently evaluating potential licensing partners in states such as New York and California. Eventually, the plan is to offer a full-spectrum of cannabis and CBD products that can be found in both regulated and unregulated markets nationwide.

In order to give back to the community, Green Unicorn Farms has partnered with Sweetleaf Collective to launch ALTRSM compassion flower.

All proceeds from the sale of ALTRSM products through Green Unicorn Farms’ website support the Sweetleaf Collective, which helps low-income terminally ill patients access free medical cannabis.

Green Unicorn Farms Low-THC Flower Experts greenunicornfarms.com M AY 2021

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THE END

Temple of the Dog A unique chapel in Vermont celebrates the lives of our canine companions.

“Welcome, All Creeds, All Breeds. No Dogmas Allowed,” reads the sign in front of the Dog Chapel in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. After recovering from a near-death experience brought on by a serious illness, local artist Stephen Huneck created the Dog Chapel in 2000. “Since dogs are family members, too, I thought it would be wonderful if we could create a ritual space to help achieve closure and lessen the pain when we lose a beloved dog,” Huneck says.

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Located on “Dog Mountain”—property owned by Huneck but open to the public—the chapel virtually overflows with photographs and hand-written eulogies placed there by visitors mourning the loss of their four-legged friends. The little white sanctuary also features dog-themed stained glass windows, an area for silent reflection, and dozens of artworks celebrating the love we have for our dogs. dogmt.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF DOG CHAPEL

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

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