PR
EM
R IE
E
IS
S
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E B OS TON
THE NEW NORMAL
THE NEWEST NEW NORMAL
BOSTON
4.2018
ISSUE 1 // VOLUME 1 // 04.2018
contents
FEATURES 26
Going Mainstream
36
Highly Topical
40
Legally Lit
To reach the coveted new demographic of cannabis users, marketers are realizing they have to reach beyond the tired old stoner strereotypes.
The localized, body-pleasing benefits of cannabis infused lotions, patches, oils, and balms are propelling topical treatments into the mainstream.
With recreational retail cannabis set to begin in the Bay State, we’ve pulled together some expert tips to help you properly throw an elevated gathering.
40
18
ISSUE
EVERY 5 Editor’s Note 6 TheBuzz 10 NewsFeed
CULTURE ROARS
14 CrossRoads
WE HAVE LIFTOFF
18 HighProfile BAR STARS
22 TasteBuds
NOSH WATCHING
46 {SoBOS}
FOLLOW THE LIGHT
Sensi Boston is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 3
sensi magazine ISSUE 1 VOLUME 1
4.2018
EXECUTIVE
FOLLOW US
Ron Kolb
CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP
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PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP
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4 Boston A P R I L 2018
Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association Nation Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy
GET TING
editor’s
Started
NOTE
THERE’S A DEVIOUS GRIN THAT STRETCHES ACROSS THE MUG OF THOSE IN THE LOCAL BOSTON CANNAB IS SC ENE WH O , F O R YEA R S, H AV E T R IE D TO S IGN AL B OO S T M UC H O F T H E C UR R E N T VALIDATIONS FOR THE LEGALIZATION OF WEED AROUND THE COMMONWEALTH.
That grin is associated with something akin to “told you so.” Although in the right hands (or on the right face that is), it’s less a stinging rejoinder to the prohibitionists (okay, it’s a little of that) than it is the knowing smile of someone who has spent countless hours and breaths trying to educate people on just how misled they have been for a very, very long time on what weed is, and—more importantly for such people—what it isn’t. From the late 1800s up through the 1940s, cannabis was officially listed in the US Pharmacopeia as a treatment for everything from labor pains to alcoholism, opioid addiction (ironic!), and a host of other issues until the mass demonization largely rooted in cultural racism and federal prohibition (a mass history to dive into if you never have) put the kibosh on the US cannabis industry. And even that tide seems to be changing...slowly.
dollar US industry. Nice neighborhood to be in. And Boston just moved in. So consider this happy little rag as your own personal chauffeur, carting you through what for some is a whole new world to explore. Some are cautious, some are already vastly well informed and could serve as guiding Virgil for those newbies with a positive, exploratory attitude regarding the new Mass Grass reality before them, especially if years of misinformation, scare tactics, political posturing, and general social stigmas (despite all obvious conflicts of logic when turning the tides on prescription mood drugs, or booze for that matter) cause some to view it as a journey into the Inferno. But don’t feel that way. It’s not that scary. Just ask questions. You’ll be fine.
Besides the statewide legal status around the Bay State, more and more adults (especially aging Baby Boomers and their spawn) are embracing cannabis to give them a better quality of life. Be it as someone who enjoys consumption and the standard benefits from the plant, or simply as someone trying to make a dollar and a cent in a blossoming cottage industry
Dan McCarthy
MANAGING EDITOR SENSI BOSTON
that is already in the neighborhood of a multibillion
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Irie Bliss Wellness // CANNABIS & HEMP WELLNESS
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 5
THE NE W N O R M A L
the
buzz
goodmeating
BOSTON-BASED MONTHLY MEAT DELIVERY SERVICE LAUNCHES.
For most carnivores, be it a rowdy bear in
used other services [and] learned
BEST buds: THE SECRET LIFE
to a LONG
CLOSE FRIENDS ARE THE REAL FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH You know how your besties just make your life better? Turns out they may be making it longer, too, according to re-
the woods or those that have yet to succumb
first-hand the frustrations customers
search revealed by Michigan State Uni-
to the tantalizing sexiness of the all-vegan life,
have with current programs—including
versity last summer. Seeking insight
the dilemma of how, where, and when to
the pressure to maintain and keep up with
into longevity and happiness, research-
procure a stellar lineup of incredible cuts of
traditional meal kits and the inconsistency
ers
animal flesh is an ongoing one. When extreme,
with freshness and quality of proteins—
the issue evolves into an existential battle
as well as their desires and wants. That
waged between the mind, the body, the
information was invaluable for us and was
stomach, and the unstoppable passage of time
the launch point for developing Karv.”
when trying to plan one’s daily feasts. Time is short, and hunger is great. It’s an ongoing war.
Lopes says after they had an idea of what was important and what wasn’t,
And that war may have just been won.
they built out the concept and then tested
Meet Karv, the new Boston-based web
the product with more people through a
service that has set out to solve how people
pilot program for additional refining
can eat cleaner food—especially in the protein
without losing the healthy lifestyle thread.
department—that is grass-fed, organic,
“There are too many options which leave
free-range everything and get it all neatly
the consumer overwhelmed,” says Lopes.
packaged in dry ice and delivered to your door
“Our foods are guaranteed to be lean, as
on a monthly basis.
well as portioned and trimmed properly.
If you’ve ever used PeaPod, Blue Apron, or
data
collected
from
during two studies and concluded that close friendships can have big impacts. People with strong social bonds tend to have longer lifespans—up to 50 percent longer—than those without those connections. So when you make a new friend who enhances the quality of your life, BFF them stat. —RANDY ROBINSON
The health benefits, flexibility, and
any of the variety of delivery-in-a-box systems
convenience that Karv offers is
for meals and groceries, you probably won’t
unmatched.”
need much of a tutorial here. And that’s kind of
analyzed
300,000 people around the globe
Delivery sizes depend on customer
the point. The idea, the company says, was to
orders and are customizable (i.e.: single
make something that people, at this point in
person or family of four), and all the
our technological adolescence in the home-
pretrimmed grass-finished beef, heritage
the greater Boston area, but the company
grocery-delivery arena, are familiar enough
pork, and organic free-range chicken are
plans to expand nationally this year. And in
with the idea as a concept that would allow for
from US farms and portioned out
July, the team says they plan on adding new
fast and seamless onboarding of what the Karv
depending on internal research conducted
meat options such as gourmet meatballs,
team says is already a robust user base.
to average how much consumers tend to
burgers, and hot dogs.
“We started by surveying thousands of meat
eat of each meat in order to reduce waste.
So far Karv Meals is just operating within
May your July 4 grilling be flanked by all
kit consumers through in-home interviews,”
Each delivery arrives with handsome
of them.
says Karv marketing director Paula Lopes. “We
packaging and a litany of fast recipes to
Get on the meatwagon at KARVMEALS.COM.
spoke to and even shadowed dozens while they
whip up with your parcel.
—DAN MCCARTHY
6 Boston A P R I L 2018
THE
Imagine a world without clean air and clean water, filled with burning garbage and thick smog; a world where sewage, deadly insecticides, and other toxic chemicals are dumped into our waterways. Sadly, this was the scene along the California coast, and all across America, in the late 1960s—a time when industrial pollution was almost entirely unregulated. It wasn’t until 1969, after witnessing the devastation caused by the Santa Barbara oil spill, that Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson decided to actually do something about it. Seeking a way to promote public awareness about the disastrous effects of pollution, he created Earth Day—a holiday designed to encourage environmental activism and education. The first Earth Day was held as a teach-in on April 22, 1970. By the end of that year, the Environmental Protection Agency had been established, and Congress had passed the Clean Air and Clean Water. (The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973.) In the years that followed, Nelson continued to promote Earth Day events around the country—an impassioned environmental effort, which earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1995. Over the past few decades, Earth Day has become an inspiring instrument of change across the world. The event’s 20th anniversary in 1990 mobilized nearly 200 million people from 141 countries. Today, Earth Day is one of the most prominent secular civic events in the world, with close to 200 nations now participating in the global celebration. Each April, around 17,000 different grassroots organizations hold concerts, marches, nature walks, tree plantings, trash collection and recycling drives, upcycling workshops, educational forums, and much more. These days, our planet needs us more than ever. The environmental protections we’ve spent two generations fighting to establish are facing unprecedented attacks—both by an irresponsible administration hell-bent on rolling back regulations and dismantling protections on national parks and coastlines, and by corporations who continue to drill, frack, and dump with no regard for how it affects life on our planet. That’s why it’s imperative that we, as concerned citizens, get involved and do our part. There are so many ways for us to help, even if it’s on a small scale: use alternative transportation, ditch the disposable cups and bottles in favor of reusable ones, decrease your landfill waste, or join a community garden. As the slogans say, “Think Green,” and “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Be mindful of your daily choices, and you’ll begin to cultivate a different relationship with the planet. So this Earth Day, get out there, find an event near you, connect with some like-minded eco-friendly folks, and start making a differenceFor more info, visit EARTHDAY.ORG. —APRIL PRICE
CALL IT?
Strictly from an etymological perspective, when debating what term to use to refer to our favorite elevating plant, “cannabis” is the preferred term. The word and usage has been traced back to Herodotus, who recorded cannabis use in The Histories, and is probably derived from the Greek word kannabis. The earliest known English usage dates to 1548, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
CALL IT
honoring Earth
WATCHA
The botanical term was proposed in 1722 and its “elevating” properties first noted in 1848. Before the 20th century, cannabis was prominently listed as an ingredient in pharmaceutical medicines made by American companies.
The term marijuana came later. It comes
from Mexican Spanish, originally marihuana, and its origins have been traced to the word
mallihuan, which means prisoner, or to the Chinese ma ren hua, or “hemp seed flower,”
depending on your source, probably in the
1890s. Marijuana came into usage here in the early 20th century, brought by immigrants
during the Mexican War. Harry Anslinger, the anti-cannabis zealot who led American drug policy from the 1930s into the 1960s, institutionalized the word in the 1937 Marihuana
Tax Act. Most laws, including the Controlled Substances Act, use the term “marijuana” (or “marihuana”), as do advocacy groups like NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project.
Dr. William Woodward of the American Medical Association explained the difference per-
fectly during hearings before the passage of the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. “I use the word
‘cannabis’ in preference to the word ‘marijua-
na,’ because cannabis is the correct term for describing the plant and its products. The term ‘marijuana’ is a mongrel word that has crept
into this country over the Mexican border and has no general meaning, except as it relates to
the use of cannabis preparations for smoking. It is not recognized in medicine, and hardly recognized even in the Treasury Department.”
That said, you will probably find both words, along with some others terms like pot, weed, and the like, in Sensi at one time or another. —LELAND RUCKER
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 7
THE NE W N O R M A L
the
buzz
Guac
WEIGH IN ON TASTY TINDER TERMINOLOGY.
Flirtation by food is a proven tactic that stands the test of time. Trust me. Before the digital revolution, I answered a personal ad in a local paper because the woman mentioned a love of food. The woman turned out to be “K,” one of my co-workers and a writer. We loved to eat and talk together but our lives were on different trajectories. This year, I taught her how to make a wild blueberry pie remotely by phone and computer—she in Maine and me in Colorado. I’ve never used any of the online dating sites but I may reconsider. On the dating app Tinder, bios that mentioned “guacamole” got the most matches, according to a recent Zoosk analysis of 3.7 million dating profiles. Guacamole was followed by “potatoes” and “chocolate” as terms that made potential matches swipe right. But to up your “It’s a Match!” returns even higher, mention a salad in your bio. Seriously. You’ll be 97 percent more likely to be matched, even if the only “salad” you eat is potato salad. If your profile mentions fried chicken, you’re dropping to the bottom of the hot-food-terms list. It’s also true that Tinder profiles containing the word “foodie” receive 82 percent more incoming messages of interest. Bone, I mean, bon appétit indeed. —JOHN LEHNDORFF
The people who brought us Golden Girls have joined forces with the illustrator of Super Golden Friends and created a new gang of elders for audiences to love. The Improbables is an animated graphic novel featuring five aging superheroes whose best defenders-of-justice days are probably behind them. Along with fighting con temporary crime, they now have to deal with their own bum knees and memory loss. You, too, can enjoy the twisted tales of life catching up to superpowers by downloading “Saving Las Vegas,” an ebook filled with an irreverent blend of comic-book sass, video, and dialogue or by watching the episodes online at THEIMPROBABLES.TV . —LELAND RUCKER
8 Boston A P R I L 2018
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{newsfeed} by MARCUS JOHNSON-SMITH
CULTURE ROARS Cannabis culture deserves a place and a stand-alone identity in Boston.
Boston, and Massachusetts at large, has come to a
Boston, as anyone from here will tell you and ev-
crucial crossroads. For over two decades in the Hub,
eryone not from here quickly finds out, is incredibly
there has been a groundswell of support for the destig-
small—a really big small town. Often that means the
matization and legalization of adult-use recreational
classic Boston stereotypes of cultural groups persist
cannabis, grassroots movements, high-water marks
through the years. Sports bros, Harvard grads, and the
and low points, and an overall brave and onerous fight
elite. General tribalism. And lots of white people.
that culminated in the November 2016 elections.
I’m an insider. I’ve been here my entire life, and as
And now that an overwhelming majority of Bay
much as the above does paint the cultural mapping of
State voters decided that the useless war on drugs and
Boston with broad strokes. I want more when I think of
the ongoing demonization of cannabis and cannabis
what kind of a cannabis city and region Boston, and the
users—a clash in ideology with current trends as well
state at large, should be.
as racially motivated social constructionism that has
As a local with a finger on the pulse of the com-
its roots in a 50-year crusade against cannabis mostly
munities and the cultural scene as it currently exists,
as a means to incarcerate blacks and latinos—has long
I know it’s strong. But Boston wants more. We all want
past the point of diminishing returns. Furthermore, the
more, and deserve more, and as a movement and as
lack of education many residents, voters, consumers
a growing multimillion-dollar local industry, the Hub’s
and non-consumers have about cannabis in a city of
legal recreational cannabis scene could come out as a
world-class educational institutions, reflects the cul-
new leader and cultural arbiter of the way it could and
ture divide that permeates here.
should be.
10 Boston A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 11
Boston’s cannabis culture for the better part of 20
jolt our community needs to shake things up a bit.
years has existed and operated underground and on
Ultimately, Boston needs a cannabis culture of its
the fringes of the local cultural tapestry. Social taboos
own that’s unique to the people here and reflects who
and outmoded Puritanical thinking in the communi-
we are. We don’t need to be the East Coast Colorado
ties, something still very much alive in liberal Massa-
or California. Those are fun things to say, and it makes
chusetts, has dominated the local scene and created
for a tight soundbite or shortcut to thinking, but as a
pockets of disparate pockets connected only by the
roadmap to regional identity, I’m against it. We’re not
fact they operate in the shadows. The time is now to
Colorado. We’re not California. We’re Boston. And I
bring those out into the mainstream.
dare you to find someone that doesn’t hear that and
In the city proper as well as in Dorchester, Roxbury, and the surrounding townships and social scenes, you
either beam with pride or know what it suggests as a regional identity and general ethos.
have everything from creative and artsy groups mesh-
In fact, what I love about the potential for Boston
ing the gothic and alternative stoner culture together
having a robust and thriving cannabis culture is the op-
in fun and colorful ways on one end. (I love those folks).
portunity to carve out an identity that’s unique to the
On the other, you have posh and upscale-leaning,
people, our people, the service providers, the commu-
on-demand, and custom-service operations who host
nity, and everyone who wants to participate that goes
private parties in residential homes, creating infused
about it the right way. In these early days of a legal, reg-
dinners and ad hoc personalized events for adults of
ulated industry that will create jobs and better quality
all stripe, career, sexual persuasion, political ranking,
of life in far greater ratio numbers than anything the
and celebrity status. (You’d be surprised.) And yes, the
prohibitionist crowd and those ignorant the ample re-
parties are as fun as you’d imagine.
search data already out after the first US states legal-
As it is, most of the public events citywide have
ized can throw at you, it’s important to have a vision.
been focused on education and advocacy—the im-
We have a culture of excellence here in Massachu-
portant stuff that moves agendas. The Boston Free-
setts. It is part of who we are. We value education,
dom Rally, a multiday extravaganza of (in its best form)
from the great boon of public education up to what’s
cannabis education, outreach, activism, and general
available and woven into
carnival atmosphere on Boston Common is nearing
the tapestry of the region
its third decade in annual operation, with recent years
at the highest levels of ac-
seeing more and more interest. Still, pound for pound
ademia. We value indus-
with other cities of relative legal or pro-cannabis sta-
try, technology and priding
tus, our scene lacks the very cosmopolitan scene other
our business environment
pot-friendly municipalities have. But it doesn’t have to.
as being a cultivator of tal-
I can’t say for certain why, but the dullness of the
ent and jobs at the highest
culture is possibly a reflection of a conservative polit-
levels. We have a sports
ical caucus who have been shaping social life through
culture with a tradition of
policy for years, here and nationally, and who for bet-
resilience and excellence
ter or worse are more often than not completely un-
(especially the last decade
familiar with the reality of cannabis in everyday life. I
or so in these parts). It’s
won’t make this a diatribe on the state of our political
goes on and on.
climate, but rather offer a reminder that we as a com-
Why should we expect
munity should err on the side of an open, educational
anything less from canna-
and accessible marketplace, one that will provide the
bis here in Boston?
12 Boston A P R I L 2018
Marcus Johnson-Smith is the cofounder of Kush Groove in Boston’s Mission Hill. He is also the founder of Clearwater Branding, as well as 100KCANNABISJOBS.COM. You can follow Marcus on Instagram and Twitter @mjohnsonsmith and at his website: MARCUSJOHNSONSMITH.COM
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 13
{crossroads} by RICARDO BACA
WE HAVE LIFTOFF On celebrating cannabis, the tamer of a captive mind.
I loved long flights when I was younger. I was obsessed with the sheer spectacle of modern flight, and I even looked forward to those monster, super long treks to Asia and Australia, perhaps misapplying the ad-
still don’t understand the best way to store their roller bags in the overhead compartment. It can get to be a lot—unless, I’ve found, you have a head full of cannabis when you’re boarding the plane.
age of the journey being as important as the destination.
I’ll never forget my first time flying high. I was wrap-
But I’ve lost most of that awe at 40, when even the
ping up my last day at a weed business conference in
two-and-a-half hours flight is something I don’t gen-
San Francisco when I remembered the edibles stash in
erally look forward to. The shrinking seats, the germy
my backpack, the one I wasn’t planning on flying home
everything, the recycled air, the incessant subcon-
with (because that’s illegal, dear friend). After a quick
scious marketing and the travelers who inexplicably
assessment of my near future—taking the train to
14 Boston A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 15
the airport, grabbing food, flying three hours home to
at the immensity of what all these random people and
Denver, and hopping another train to the city from the
I were doing at that very moment.
airport—I saw the opportunity ahead. No driving. No heavy machinery. No real responsibility for the foreseeable future. And that flight was fucking fantastic. From an un-
Hundreds of people, in a giant metal machine, flying. So much fuel, sigh. But still, lifting off like some magical dragon from the San Francisco Bay and landing a few hours later in the Colorado Rockies.
precedented deep-dive into my iPhone’s psyche to
And that’s one of marijuana’s wonders, right? Its
organizing the busy work week ahead to going cov-
ability to temporarily reset some our mind’s settings
er-to-cover on the mediocre in-flight magazine star-
back to its childhood defaults.
ing at me from the seat-back pocket, I was that awe-
Thank goodness for it, be-
struck little kid again—finding pleasure in what was
cause sometimes my adult
in front of me, ignoring my neighbor in the
mind resents being
center aisle, appreciating the com-
held captive.
plimentary Canada Dry and legitimately dumbfounded
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It’s pretty much the same if I’m sitting in an airplane,
Thankful I’m not driving crosscountry. Thankful for
a corporate-sponsored rock show or a movie theater.
the singular views. Thankful for the quiet baby in the
I’m getting something out of that experience, sure, but
row in front of me. Thankful that air travel remains
I’m also paying a business for a service—and I’m being
mostly affordable. Thankful for the tucked-in hygiene
marketed to in the process. And that construct of me
of the beefcake in the center seat. Thankful for modern
paying you so that you can then advertise further to
conveniences. Thankful the guy in front of me didn’t
me when I’m most captive can be tough to stomach,
recline his seat while I was writing this column. And
even for a lifelong journalist who just opened his own
thankful for cannabis, which helps tame my aging brain
full-service agency.
in the dreadfully captive situations I dislike the most.
I’m thankful for the respite cannabis provides when
So here’s to getting lifted before you lift off, friends.
my mind is in that prison of captivity-induced anxiety.
Because even though your
When I’m sitting in the movie theater ever-so-slightly
body is about to be restricted
lifted, I remember the excitement of the film trailers
to an ever-shrinking seat, the
and view them as entertainment instead of advertis-
doors to your mind’s subcon-
ing. At the rock show, I forget that I’m sitting inside the
sciousness are already flung
an arena known as the Pepsi Center and I enjoy
wide open—leaving your
the light show. In the airplane, I look out at
anxieties and other baggage
the Sierras, the gradient blue sky, the check-
out of sight while amplifying
erboards of houses and the dense forest lands
your ability to focus on what
below and take a moment to be thankful.
matters most.
Ricardo Baca is a veteran journalist, thought leader and founder of The Cannabist. His content agency Grasslands works primarily with businesses and individuals in the cannabis and hemp industries on thought leadership, publicity and marketing projects via thoughtful, personalized content campaigns.
Thank you for an incredible first year in business! Irie Bliss Wellness proudly supports the emerging New England hemp industry. Our wellness consultants and nurses will provide you with support, not just CBD. We offer a complete line of personal care products, terpene rich tinctures and vaporizers, edibles, and an array of anti-inflammatory topicals to support you on your path to wellness.
A Wellness and Lifestyle brand based in Boston, Ma. www.irieblisswellness.com • www.iriebliss.com sensimag.com APR I L 2018 17
{highprofile} by DAN MCCARTHY
BAR STARS Two ladies of Boston’s cocktail scene drop a new a book celebrating badass female bartenders— and the historic women who inspire them.
Misty Kalkofen and Kirsten Amann could be considered decorated generals of the Great Cocktail Scene trials and tribulations, which they witnessed and fought on the front lines over the past decade in Boston.
years, signal boosting it all in a truly handsome and well designed entire package for all to benefit from. We spoke with the authors to discuss why this very same idea was rejected over twenty times when it
And as authors of the forthcoming book Drinking
was pitched a decade ago, and how doing research for
Like Ladies: 75 Modern Cocktails From The World’s Lead-
this book caused regular moments of sheer WTF dis-
ing Female Bartenders (June 2018), the patriarchy has
belief.
officially been put on notice. The duo worked in perspectives from history that have been buried or
Q // How did you get into the cocktail scene?
passed over—great tales of heroic and inspiring
MISTY: I moved to Boston in 1994 for grad school,
women who achieved in spite of the cultural road-
and worked in hospitality to support all my higher ed-
blocks against them. Those women served as the in-
ucation goals. I had been a bartender through all of
spiration point for a cadre of some of the world’s best
that, and decided to not go for PhD when I realized I
drink slingers on the national and international scene
loved bartending. I’m a twenty year veteran, worked
Kalkofen and Amann have relationships with.
everywhere from B-side lounge to Drink. I’m on the
The result is a celebration of both cocktail culture,
supplier side now.
creativity and craftsmanship behind the bar, and more
KIRSTEN: I was always working in restaurants as
importantly something of a pedestal for elevating the
well as publishing and PR, and Misty and I met at
lost or hidden stories of great women across the
working at Tremont 647 together, which coincided
18 Boston A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 19
around time the cocktail revolution was happening, with bartenders recreating cocktails from old dusty books, etc. That’s when cocktail history and the universe beyond drinks and food, this whole new world was opened up to me. About ten years ago Misty start-
Cheers { Boston}
ed LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) and invited me to the first meeting, which was big turning point for me, and really merged my interest in history, literature, and cocktails. Q // How does the book project fit into the origin
Kalkofen and Amann’s journey working with female bartenders and their historical counterpart-inspiration point were revelations regarding some pretty incredible women through history that have done incredible things and yet have never been woven into the cultural fabric for their stories to live on. Here’s a sample from the some of Boston’s fairest barkeeps. COCKTAIL: BADUIZM BY: Emma Hollander AT: Trina’s Starlight Lounge, Boston CHEERS TO: Erykah Badu, the Queen of Neo Soul, with a spicy-sweet cocktail that combines Old Monk rum with traditional Thai iced tea ingredients
story? KIRSTEN: We started writing a blog when those were still “a thing” (laughs), which gave us time and opportunity to hone our writing abilities. About ten years ago we wrote the proposal for this book, and were rejected, our agent dropped us immediately. Q // Really? How many turned you down? KIRSTEN: About 20 publishers. The common response was that the cocktail bookshelf is small space and crowded, and no one saw room for us. MISTY: They didn’t think people would be interested in the topic, funnily enough. KIRSTEN: And they didn’t think ladies drank serious cocktails. Seriously. Wow. MISTY: The one that burned my ass the most was
COCKTAIL: RIGHT HAND BY: Nicole Lebedevitch AT: Yvonne’s, Boston CHEERS TO: Missy Lehand, FDR’s righthand woman, with a blend of bourbon and apple brandy that means business
COCKTAIL: ELEMENTS OF THE STARS BY: Ezra Star AT: Drink, Boston CHEERS TO: Brilliant astronomer Cecilia Payne Goposchkin with a blend that includes bright lemon juice, an allusion to the sun and stars
when someone said it was “too niche”. We were like “are you fucking kidding me, we’re half the population!” [laughs] KIRSTEN: I don’t think this book as it has come together would have been as relevant 10 years ago the way it is in 2018. We started book in 2007 when the serious cocktail movement was nascent around Boston. It had been going, but had not yet filtered down in any way. At the time, many bars in town were just starting to adopt fresh juice programs. My friend worked at No. 9 park when they didn’t use jiggers, and they were a big cocktail bar then! That was the era, but time had marched on and cocktails have arrived. Now, my local pub has classic, well made cocktails on the menu and it’s fucking fantastic.
20 Boston A P R I L 2018
Q // Is the book another “let’s hype the classics” trope? MISTY: We focused on 100 women and 100 recipes to start, but wound up with thousands to choose from. The cocktails in the book are from the current female bartenders we worked with, but they’re original, tied to pre prohibition era. Q // What does that mean for the uninformed? MISTY: Balanced, delicious cocktails. We had cocktails taking place right before prohibition that hit a brick wall, followed by some of the darkest times in modern cocktail history. Q // How so? MISTY: It coincided with the growth of packaged ingredients for your kitchen, that time of prepared Hungry Man-style dinners and stuff like that. This era of “we can make it easier and simpler”, but made more fake ingredients for drinks, if you will. So all the cocktails here are celebrate balancing fresh ingredients while paying attention to the spirits that they’re celebrating.
Q // Any unexpected takeaways from the entire experience of writing this particular book, which feels
Q // Did you get any surprises? Either from the drinks created or the women the bartenders were inspired by when creating the recipes?
extra relevant in the current cultural climate? KIRSTEN: A sense of wonder. We talk in the book about about the degree which these incredible wom-
MISTY: What was inspiring for me as a woman, was
en were so accomplished yet unsung. I’d be reading
knowing it took so much time energy and effort from
about them and couldn’t believe I had never heard of
the bartenders to highlight the woman in history the
this person. So the writing process created a sense of
cocktail was toasting. Really digging into history, find-
awe and a wonder at these woman, so many of which
ing thoughtful aspects about the time and culture
faced tremendous adversity.
each woman came from.
MISTY: For me it was learning just because stories
KIRSTEN: I agree.
aren’t being told, doesn’t mean they’re not out there,
MISTY: When we got the recipes it was clear it
be it about women or people of color, or entire groups
wasn’t a “oh I’ll grab this cocktail and repurpose it for
held down over time, we’re starting to see a change
this project”. The care and attention paid to the task at
right now and it’s amazing. So take a look closer at the
time was clear from each of them. And then when we
history you’re being taught about anything. If it’s ho-
were researching the women and the history, we’d
mogeneous, sterile, it’s probably because there are
constantly text each other yelling “WHAT THE FUCK!”
stories not being told. Dig deeper, ask questions. You’ll
when seeing how some of these stories hadn’t been
get a bigger richer picture of whatever the story is
widely told.
you’re researching. sensimag.com APR I L 2018 21
{tastebuds} by DAN MCCARTHY
22 Boston A P R I L 2018
NOSH WATCHING Get these bar and restaurant openings on your radar because soon you will want to eat and drink all the things.
SHORE LEAVE Spring is a time of renewal. Rebirth. Change. And no
Bar Mezzana in the still-erecting Ink Block area of
area of the city is that more pronounced than in the
the South End has been a hit since Colin and Heather
forthcoming watering holes, posh eateries, cafes, and
Lynch opened up their Italian crudo oasis. And now, on
other spots slated to open in the coming months.
the heels of the success of their approach to tropical
Here, we’ve rounded up some of the notable spots
tiki-ish drinks, the two are launching Shore Leave basi-
piquing our interest and whetting our appetite for new
cally right across the street on Harrison Ave. They’re
eats in new digs.
working with Bar Mezzana beverage director Ryan Lotz of No. 9 Park fame. 345 Harrison Ave., Boston SHORELEAVEBOSTON.COM
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 23
ALCOVE Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of experiencing the hospitality and cocktail knowledge Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli brings to dining and nightlife should be prepared to squeal with glee. Because the seasoned veteran of Garrett Harker’s Island Creek Oyster Bar and Eastern Standard, as well as previous time at the legendary Craigie on Main in Cambridge, is opening Alcove at Lovejoy Wharf in a new condo rise going up in the borderlands of the North and West End. Follow on Facebook for status updates as the space comes together. 100 Lovejoy Wharf, Boston FACEBOOK.COM/ALCOVEBOSTON
BACKYARD BETTY’S The partners behind the new-ish Southie haunt Publico Street Bistro & Garden are expanding....within the same neighborhood. So far, the intel coming out revolves around lots of talk of Nashville flavors (fingers crossed for killer fried pickles and the like), “American cult classics,” backyard grilling goods, and seating for 150. And if rumors and whispers of the spot brandishing a monstrous wood-burning rotisserie smoker and grill as the fire pumping out all the noshables are true, get ready for charred goodness across the board. 172–174 W. Broadway, Boston BAR LYON SPYCE
Fans of the Columbus Hospitality Group
What do you get when a group of MIT pals work on
and their stretch of restaurants around
robotics together and eventually come up with a way
the Hub (see: Teatro, Mistral, Ostra, Sorel-
to redesign and outfit a modern professional restau-
lina) will be particularly excited about Bar
rant kitchen with tech wizardry? Basically what Spyce
Lyon. The incoming South End 60-seat
is claiming it’ll be when it opens downtown this spring.
charmer will be an all-French wine affair,
The spot has reportedly been developed in collabora-
and other Franco fandom will be accent-
tion with global megachef Daniel Boulud (Bar Boulud
ed across the menu. Think: duck confit,
at the Mandarin Oriental) and will be creating healthy-lean-
eggs poached in red wine, insane pate,
ing fast-casual options that, if it all works like the MIT cam-
and the kind of place you’ll put a pin in for
pus version they previously built, will also mean autono-
after-work tippling or a late-night tryst at
mously functioning robotics doing their thing for you.
a corner table. Either way.
24 Boston A P R I L 2018
241 Washington St., Boston
1750 Washington St., Boston
SPYCE.COM
BARLYON.COM
THE LONGFELLOW BAR
KICKSTARTER BONUS: P-TOWN IZAKAYA
AT ALDEN AND HARLOW
AND JAPANESE PASTRY SHOP
Nestled above chef Michael Scelfo’s
There’s a group on Cape Cod who have launched a
extremely popular and hip subterranean
new Kickstarter. And if it comes to life, it will add merri-
Harvard Square hotspot Alden + Harlow
ment and joy to anyone passing through Provincetown
will be The Longfellow Bar. Given it will
all year round. All hail the possible rise of Tanuki, a vision
be a transformation of the beloved and
of a place brandishing rare Japanese whiskey, “matcha
dearly missed legacy Cafe Algiers space,
everything,” not to mention Japanese pastries and the
a lot of eyeballs are on this one. Details
kind of noshables that mix with the vacation and lei-
so far paint a picture of a sexy lounge for
sure-seeking life at the edge of the Eastern Seaboard.
serious cocktailing before a show near-
You know, beach Bento boxes, special chef’s tastings,
by, or just a few small bites from a sep-
Asian street food specialties, and a collective as deter-
arate (and svelte) bar menu while wait-
mined to create an authentic-yet-local version of a Jap-
ing for a table downstairs.
anese Izakaya as they are making sure that the
40 Brattle St., #3, Cambridge
LGBTQIA community is properly represented and re-
LONGFELLOWHARVARD.COM
spected. Huzzah! sensimag.com APR I L 2018 25
GOING
MAINS by LEL AND RUCKER AND STEPHANIE WILSON
26 Boston A P R I L 2018
TREAM To reach the coveted NEW DEMOGRAPHIC of cannabis users, MARKETERS are realizing they have to reach beyond the tired OLD STONER stereotypes.
If you caught
THE OFFICIAL THEATRICAL TRAILER FOR THE HERO
SPRING 2017, YOU’D THINK THE FILM WAS A CLASSIC REDEMPTION TALE ABOUT AN AGING H O L L Y W O O D S T A R P L A Y E D B Y S A M E L L I O T T, T H E S M O O T H -V O I C E D, T H I C K-M U S T A C H E D AC TOR WHO MADE HIS SILVER SCREEN DEBUT IN BUTCH C ASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID IN
19 6 9. NICK OFFERMAN, THE BURLY GUY BEST KNOWN FOR HIS PORTRAYA L O F MAN’S MA N R ON S W A N S O N I N N B C ’ S PA R K S A ND RE C RE AT ION , C O S TA R S . B U T I F YO U S AW A TRAILER FOR THE SAME FILM AT A DISPENSARY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, YOU’D THINK THE HERO IS A BUDDY COMEDY IN WHICH “SAM ELLIOT T AND NICK OFFERMAN GET STONED. REALLY, REALLY STONED.”
And rightfully so: that’s the exact phrasing that
him in the spring about how to market The Hero to
appears amid clips of Elliott and Offerman rolling
cannabis consumers. “I suggested we re-cut the trailer
joints, talking strains, getting high, and laughing
to play up the stoner buddy angle between Elliott and
about how Elliot’s deep cowboy drawl could sell “a
Offerman,” he says. “Add another level to the story.”
shit-ton of pot” during a 60-second trailer targeting
The directors agreed and collaborated with Wilfert to
cannabis consumers. The custom spot wasn’t some
create the new version. Once that was complete, the
bootleg ripoff cut together by weed-loving film afi-
challenge was getting it in front of its targeted audi-
cionados with time on their hands. It was an official
ence of legal cannabis users—a group that runs the
trailer, commissioned by The Orchard, which acquired
gamut from 21-year-old gamers to 76-year-old
the film’s distribution rights at Sundance that year, and
grandmas. Traditional methods wouldn’t work;
created by the creative agency arm of The World’s Best
there is no typical cannabis user. But there is one
Ever (TWBE), a Webby-nominated culture site.
thing that a lot of them have in common: when
David Wilfert, the advertising and marketing consultant behind TWBE, says The Orchard approached
they need some pot, they go to a dispensary to buy it. So that’s where the trailer needed to go.
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 27
Wilfert connected with an LA-based media company that operates an in-store network of televisions streaming ads and limited cannabis programming. The Hero ’s cannabis-centric trailer was soon part of the lineup. “Customers in a pot shop see a TV playing a trailer with these two guys smoking pot, and it’s very relatable,” Wilfert says. The spot was shown in 182 dispensaries in California leading up to The Hero ’s theatrical release. ( Today, you can find both trailers on YouTube, but the film’s official website only has the original weed-free version.) This type of targeted marketing designed to reach cannabis consumers is the latest step in marijuana’s march into the mainstream, another
36 percent of consumers in
Colorado identify as very social people who enjoy the outdoors at a higher rate than those who merely accept cannabis use or reject it entirely. AS CI TED BY BDS ANALYTICS
aspect of the new normal. And it won’t be long before more major brands follow The Orchard’s lead. Cannabis users are an untapped demographic of consumers with money to burn. With marijuana now legal for adult or medical use in 29 states and counting, people are coming out of the socalled cannabis closet, admitting they use the elevating plant themselves or support the rights of others to do so. A landmark cannabis consumer research study by BDS Analytics, a business intelligence firm, is underway, compiling demographic and psychographic data to help marketers better understand who is using marijuana, who isn’t, and why. The initial results of the ongoing study are in—and the profile of a cannabis user that’s emerged is so far removed from the tired old stoner clichés. The average annual household income of California “Consumers”— people who use cannabis—is $93,800, while “Rejectors”—people who do not use cannabis and wouldn’t consider it—average $75,900. Twenty percent of California Consumers hold master’s degrees, compared to 12 percent of Rejectors. In Colorado, 64 percent of Consumers have full-time employment, 10 percent more than Rejectors. In California, 64 percent of Consumers are parents, and 38 percent say they volunteer their time to help others. In Colorado, data show Consumers identify as creative, social people who enjoy the fine arts and the outdoors. Basically, the actual modern cannabis user doesn’t have much in common with the lazy pothead depicted in popular culture ever since Reefer
Madness became a cult classic 80-some years ago.
28 Boston A P R I L 2018
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 29
But that doesn’t stop modern-day marketers from
ers 2 , set to be released on 4/20/18, keep resurrecting
trotting out the same old stereotypes time and
the same old jokes while depicting pot users as stupid,
again—especially around the unofficial “high holi-
hapless, and addicted to junk food. Late-night ads rid-
day” on April 20. Last year, you may have seen a TV
dled with must-eat-all-the-food-now references may
ad for Totino’s Pizza Rolls, owned by General Mills,
have felt edgy and fresh at some point now come
depicting a 420 angle and pushing a #betterwhen-
across as stale. Taco Bell’s been making not-so-subtle
baked hashtag. If you were near the Colorado/New
references to getting high for over a decade. It’s time
Mexico border, you may have spotted a McDonald’s
to move on.
billboard likening breakfast burritos to joints with
Slowly, signs of progress emerge. In 2011, General
the slogan “Usually, when you roll something this
Mills used Cheech and Chong to reach Baby Boom-
good, it’s illegal.” Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, never one
ers with an ad for Fiber One brownies. The online-only
to shy away from pot references as evidenced by fla-
campaign sought to reassure a middle-aged audi-
vors such as Half Baked and Dave Matthews Band
ence that regular is the new high. The narrator ex-
Magic
plains it like this: “Because now that you’re getting
Brownies,
debuted
the
Chill-aco,
a
munchie-quashing waffle ice cream sandwich, on 4/20 itself.
older, you need a new kind of magic in your brownie.” A few years later, in 2014, just days after Colorado
Whereas the legal cannabis marketplace is still
became the first state with a legal recreational mar-
new, mainstream brands creating campaigns laden
ket, Spirit Airlines released an ad with this state-
with old tropes is not—especially when it comes to
ment: “The no-smoking sign is off in Colorado.” An-
the movies and/or the munchies. The stoner comedy
other declared, “If you want to make a beeline for
genre debuted with the release of Cheech and Chong’s
Colorado right now, we don’t blame you—but we’re
Up in Smoke in 1978, and flicks like Half Baked, Dude,
up to take you to plenty of chill destinations.” The
Where’s My Car?, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,
absence of stereotypical references at first glance
Pineapple Express, and the upcoming Super Troop-
seemed promising. But, alas, one step forward was
30 Boston A P R I L 2018
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sensimag.com APR I L 2018 31
followed by one step back. The ad concluded: “Book
agency is called Redefining Cannabis, and the firm’s
today…and be sure to pack some munchies.” ( Be-
goal is just that: create brand campaigns that “de-
cause there aren’t any snacks in Colorado, obviously,
fine a new era of cannabis culture,” as the website
the stoners ate them all.)
states. Redefining Cannabis grew out of Gabbay’s
That part aside, these big-name brands were among
U2R1 Media agency, which worked mainly with life-
the first to dip a toe into what is on track to become
style and hospitality clients such as Hilton Los An-
a marketing mainstay as more states legalize can-
geles and Égard luxury watches. Today, Redefin-
nabis use. In the interim, companies have to be careful
ing Cannabis lists Cannabis Retreats, Erbanna high
not to alienate customers who still believe what they
fashion, and a selection of gourmet edible compa-
were taught in D.A.R.E.—cannabis is a no good, aw-
nies among its array of clients. Gabbay launched
ful, very bad drug—while also appealing to people
the new firm a few years ago to deal with cannabis
who know better.
branding and marketing for small businesses try-
Wilfert explains that any company marketing to
ing to distinguish themselves from other similar
cannabis consumers, young or old, needs to under-
companies—all of which are new to the newly legal
stand that users have a special connection that sets
consumer. It’s taken over most of her time. “I’m a
them apart from the status quo. “Pot smokers relate
cannabis entrepreneur now,” she says.
to each other,” he says. “Because of how marijuana
She explains that cannabis brands aren’t that much
has been criminalized over the past century, we’ve
different from companies in any other industry look-
been placed into a secret club where we have shared
ing to market themselves without playing into the
the wonders of this plant. Now it is our duty to open
stereotypes. “More companies are looking to us for
the club’s doors to everyone.”
expertise in how to break into the market without
Sari Gabbay, a marketing consultant and creative
looking like stoners themselves,” she says in our in-
director in Los Angeles, spends most of her ti me
terview. “People come to me and say, ‘I know what I do,
these days trying to fulfill that duty. Her creative
but I don’t know how to market myself.’” So she fo-
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sensimag.com APR I L 2018 33
cuses her efforts on research, working with the client
cannabis growers. Hawthorne Garden Company is
to develop a plan to connect consumers with the brand
the umbrella over a portfolio that includes acquired
in a meaningful way. “We are their voice,” she says of
companies such as General Hydroponics as well as
her cannabis accounts. “How they communicate will
craft brands like Black Magic Performance Hydro-
help change people’s perspective about the plant.”
ponics sold at Home Depots in select markets where
She tells her clients that consumer education is
cannabis is legal. The hydroponics subsidiary is pro-
the key to getting rid of the stigma that continues to
ducing upwards of $250 million a year, according to
surround cannabis use—especially when it comes
an October 2016 report by Bloomberg.
to the medical benefits. (She does note that in Cali-
This is big business, and it’s charting new terri-
fornia, where cannabis has been a fully established
tory. The first television ad for Black Magic could be
The average annual household income among California cannabis consumers is $ 93,000, with 20 percent of those consumers holding master’s degrees. 64 percent of California consumers are
PARENTS.
AS CI TED BY BDS ANALYTICS
part of the wellness community, the stigma isn’t as
used as an example of the right way to market to
strong as it is in other states.) “We’re developing prod-
cannabis users and growers. First step: just say no
ucts that are science-based, that have real science
to stereotypes. Black Magic’s ad didn’t portray pot
behind them. Cannabis is real medicine, and we’re
growers as tie-dye-wearing slackers. It showed clips
working with other brands to spread that message,
of clean-cut guys in their 20s and 30s, dressed like
to drive consumers to that space. Big companies are
guys that age do, tending to plants in a variety of
not going to sit back [while cannabis brands target
Instagram-worthy urban settings. The look was so-
their customers with new products].”
phisticated, the message modern and inspiring, the
Scotts Miracle-Gro is one of those big compa-
takeaway clear: Black Magic is leading the charge
nies—one of the biggest names in the lawn and
into a future where cannabis growers (and users)
garden realm in fact. Under chief executive Jim
can come out of hiding, emerging from literal base-
Hagedorn, Scotts has invested more than a half bil-
ment grows and proverbial closets empowered to
lion dollars into the pot industry in recent years,
garden with a “higher purpose.” To yield to no one.
launching a hydroponics subsidiary in 2014 that’s
This is the future. And under the grow lights, the
focused on cornering the ever-expanding market of
future looks bright.
34 Boston A P R I L 2018
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HIGHLY
TOPICAL by ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE
The localized, body-pleasing benefits of cannabis-infused LOTIONS, PATCHES, OILS, and BALMS are propelling topical treatments into the mainstream. 36 Boston A P R I L 2018
Kim Frazier,
A LOUISVILLE, COLORADO-BASED HEALTH COACH AND MEDICAL
MARIJUANA PATIENT, USES MEDICAL CANNABIS FOR ONGOING PAIN FROM TWO HERNIATED DISKS IN HER LUMBAR SPINE AND PINCHED NERVES AND OSTEOPOROSIS IN HER NECK. A FEW YEARS AGO, SHE DISCOVERED THAT APPLYING CANNABIS-INFUSED TOPICAL OINTMENTS EASED HER PAIN WITHOUT FOGGING HER MIND, SO SHE BEGAN BUYING THEM AT DISPENSARIES AND MAKING HER OWN AT HOME. LAST YEAR, FRAZIER HAD HER FIRST MASSAGE WITH CANNABIS-INFUSED OIL AND FELT A “NOTICEABLE AND PROFOUND BENEFIT AND RELAXATION RESPONSE” THAT LASTED FOUR DAYS. WEEKLY MASSAGES WITH CBD OIL ARE NOW AN IMPORTANT P ART OF HER HEALTH PROTOCOL. “It’s just logical,” Frazier says. “The skin is our largest organ. Topicals are a great way to get cannabis into the system and still be functional. They’re
ment using cannabis treatment but would prefer not to ingest it or experience any kind of mental high.” Medicine Hunter Chris Kilham, a Massachusetts-
also a great way to introduce ‘newbies’ to cannabis, and even longtime smokers find benefits.” After applying cannabis-infused oil for three days, Frazier says, her husband’s eczema cleared up, and he was able to stop using steroidal creams. An up-and-coming segment of the medical cannabis industry, “topicals” include cannabis-infused balms, lotions, oils, alcohol solutions, and transdermal patches that penetrate the skin to deliver cannabinoids, including THC and CBD. Cannabinoids are specialized signaling chemicals in cannabis that
HOW TO USE
{ TOPICALS }
Adam Stone, who developed SweetStone Candy Luscious Lemondrop Lotion, an award winner at a recent Cannabis Cup, offers the following advice for safe, effective topical use.
bind with CB receptors in our bodies and skin, influ-
1. Read the labels and warnings.
encing and regulating appetite, pain sensation, in-
2. Don’t eat it, no matter how
flammation, temperature regulation, muscle control, metabolism, stress response, mood, and memory. Because cannabinoids don’t reach the brain or cen-
delicious it smells.
3. Always test on a small area first in
tral nervous system through topical delivery, most
medical researchers don’t believe they can deliver
4. Apply to clean skin at a time when
psychoactive effects. Adam Stone, who developed and sells the canna-
case of skin irritations or allergic reactions. you won’t wash or sweat it off.
bis-infused SweetStone Candy Luscious Lemondrop Lotion that took second place at the 2016 Michigan
based ethnobotanist and medical marijuana patient
Medical Cannabis Cup, believes that’s the biggest
who writes extensively about cannabis and other me-
benefit of using topicals. “They won’t get users high,”
dicinal plants, points out that “it’s entirely possible that
he says. “There definitely seems to be a body buzz,
some people taking transdermal THC-based lotion might
but they are a gentler way to medicate, which opens
get quite high.” His preferred method for a painful shoul-
the door for many patients who would like to experi-
der issue is a cannabis-based lotion from his local dis-
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 37
pensary. Kilham learned of cannabis’s ability to relieve
former obstetrician, who delivered 10,000 babies in
pain when he began smoking and eating it after a car
Colorado and was named “Best Delivery Man” by a lo-
crash many years ago, and he discovered topicals when
cal weekly in the 1990s, uses Apothecanna Extra
he applied tamanu oil to areas of his skin where he had
Strength Cream with arnica, juniper, peppermint, CBD,
residual nerve damage from the accident. “It’s actually
and THC for his own aches and pains.
quite miraculous,” he says. “We’re in the very, very early
CBD-only formulas, which are becoming very popu-
stages of what’s likely to be a pretty exciting category in
lar, appeal to people concerned about legality, psycho-
the cannabis industry.”
active effects, or passing a drug test—even though
Graham Sorkin, director of business development
that’s highly unlikely with creams and oils because
for Mary’s Medicinals, which sells transdermal patch-
topically applied cannabis doesn’t enter the blood-
es, gels, and topical compounds in Colorado, Wash-
stream—but Cohen prefers a combination of THC and
ington, California, Oregon, Vermont, and Arizona
CBD. “The two generally work better together than one
(coming soon to Massachusetts), says more patients—
does alone,” he says. This is what’s known as the “en-
particularly older ones—are willing to try topicals be-
tourage effect,” meaning the combination of cannabi-
cause they carry less stigma. “My grandma is never
noids found in cannabis is greater than the sum of its
“
T H E R E D E F I N I T E LY S E E M S T O B E A B O D Y B U Z Z ,
B U T T H E Y A R E A G E N T L E R WAY T O M E D I C AT E ,
WHICH OPENS THE DOOR FOR MANY PATIENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXPERIMENT USING CANNABIS TREATMENT BUT WOULD PREFER NOT TO INGEST IT OR EXPERIENCE ANY KIND OF MENTAL HIGH.
”
going to smoke a joint, but she likes the patch,” he
parts, and it’s why Stone uses cannabis cultivars with
says. Mary’s Medicinals’ customers range in age from
a balance of both CBD and THC for SweetStone Candy
2 to 92, he says, and most use the products for local-
Luscious Lemondrop Lotion. “Research has shown
ized and broad-spectrum pain such as arthritis. Pa-
that this potentially has more therapeutic advantages
tients also use them to help treat epilepsy, insomnia,
than CBD alone,” he says.
and sleep disorders.
Frazier has found this to be true in her own exper-
At Holos Health, in Boulder, Colorado, Dr. Joe Cohen,
iments with massage at Nature’s Root spa in Long-
DO, who integrates cannabis into his holistic function-
mont, Colorado, where the same 90-minute massage
al medicine practice, often recommends sprays,
is exponentially more relaxing and effective when
creams, and lotions with a one-to-one THC-to-CBD ra-
she upgrades from hemp-based oil to cannabis oil
tio to patients with joint and neuropathic pain and
with a high CBD content. “I can honestly tell you, the
muscle spasms. Cohen says topicals work locally to
difference is night and day,” she says. “With the ad-
reduce pain, inflammation, and spasms and can be
dition of CBD oil, I have to be able to go home and not
used as frequently as needed because of their limited
do anything that requires a lot of energy and brain
psychoactive effects. When applied along with a heat
power. I’m arranging my schedule so that I can al-
source such as a neck warmer, they’re particularly ef-
ways go home and chill”.
fective for neck and lower back pain, Cohen says. The
38 Boston A P R I L 2018
MAKE {YOUR OWN} TOPICAL Health coach and medical marijuana patient Kim Frazier makes this edible topical oil by combining a one-to-one ratio of foodgrade oil with some cannabis that has been decarboxylated and some that has not. Decarbed cannabis contains THC, CBD, and other beneficial cannabinoids, and non-decarbed cannabis contains THC-A (acid) and CBD-A. The oil is cooked at a temperature too low to decarb the cannabis.
INGREDIENTS:
1 ounce cannabis, coarsely ground 1 cup food-grade oil Mason jar Cheesecloth or nut milk bag (both available from Amazon) Fine mesh strainer To decarb cannabis, place it in an oven-safe container, seal the container with a lid or aluminum foil and cook at 220 degrees for an hour. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove lid. Place oil and cannabis in a mason jar. Leave some room free at the top of the jar; don’t fill completely. Seal jar.
Preheat oven to lowest setting, typically 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a water bath in an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven by pouring enough water to cover the material in the jar. Place jar in water bath. Place pot in oven and slow cook for at least 10 hours. The oil can cook for up to 24 hours. If you need to leave the house (or go to sleep), it’s fine to turn it off and restart the process when you return home (or wake up). Note: You can use a crockpot or slow cooker if it has a setting around 170 degrees or less. About every two hours, check container to ensure the water level remains higher than the material in the jar. Add water if necessary. Remove jar and shake it for a few seconds, then return it to the water bath. After 10–24 hours, remove jar and let cool. Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Place strainer over a bowl or jar and pour oil through until all plant material has been strained out. (You can keep the cannabis “sludge” in your fridge or freezer to use in the bathtub. Simply place some in a piece of mesh fabric along with some Epsom salts, tie up the mesh fabric and put it in the bathtub for a relaxing, therapeutic soak.) Store in the refrigerator for up to six months.
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by ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE
recreational retail cannabis market WITH THE
S E T T O B E G I N I N T H E BAY STATE, W E ’ V E P U L L E D TOGETHER SOME EXPERT TIPS TO HELP YOU PROPERLY THROW AN ELEVATED GATHERING.
I’ve thrown some damn good parties since I start-
ning, serving cannabis to guests was cripplingly in-
ed cooking with cannabis in 2009. I’d even say some
timidating. For me, hosting a cannabis dinner is a lot
were epic. There’s nothing like reaching the crescen-
like teaching a yoga class. As the leader, I’m respon-
do of a meal orchestrated to open people’s minds and
sible for every person’s well-being and experience,
senses and connect them with their dinner partners,
from understanding their physical limitations and
the food’s tastes and aromas, and the finer notes of
apprehensions to curating a playlist that keeps them
everything. Everyone blossoms, blissed and blessed.
motivated, relaxed, and flowing. They should leave
This is no small thing to pull off, and of course I’ve
happier than they came.
had disasters—thankfully none too epic and way less
That level of culpability makes me nama-cray-
frequent now than when I first started. In the begin-
cray. It kept me from teaching yoga after I got certi-
40 Boston A P R I L 2018
fied and could have strangled my inner canna-host-
Bong Appétit are inspiring would-be Snoop Marthas
ess, too, if I hadn’t stumbled onto the opportunity to
around the world. Mainstream media are stepping
learn from the very best while writing and promot-
out with how-to articles, which is encouraging but
ing my work, The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook. When
not terribly enlightening when you consider lines
you need confidence, there’s nothing like going
like this one in Bon Appétit magazine’s October 2017
straight to the rock stars—and a beautiful thing about
entertaining etiquette guide: “Getting your guests
the cannabis community is how willing anyone who
high shouldn’t feel like unearthing a bong from a pile
loves this plant is to educate and share.
of sweatshirts in a dark corner of your closet.”
Eight years after I started entertaining with cannabis, normalization and shows like Viceland’s
Do we have to keep saying this? It’s 2018, people. Let’s talk to the experts. sensimag.com APR I L 2018 41
In legal states, where a thriving cannabis hospitality industry employs professionals in everything from event planning to budtending, most party people haven’t touched a bong in decades, unless they were bringing it to a green elephant exchange. They dab in elegant lounges, sip canna-mocktails, and indulge in CBD coffee stations and s’mores bars stocked with infused chocolate. They taste cultivars as they’re paired with courses like wine, and they dine on infused foie gras custard while inhaling from bowls of terpene vapor at $500-a-plate dinners where the only sweatshirts are by Vetements. Chris Sayegh, the Herbal Chef and the man behind those half-grand-a-head banquets, considers himself a shaman. He conducts every dinner, explaining at the beginning how the night will go and how the journeyers can expect to feel. His servers are trained to act as guides, keeping people on track and helping them if they get uncomfortable or overwhelmed. Diners’ glasses are constantly filled with water throughout a dinner engineered to keep them in what Sayegh calls the “euphoric zone.” Afterward, they retreat to a decompression lounge, where they can wipe their faces with cold eucalyptus-scented towels and get a massage. Sayegh says his specialty is “understanding how people can get this really beautiful effect without ever being overwhelmed,” a skill anyone who entertains with cannabis should be honing. Stupefied or paranoid guests suck the soul out of a party as quickly as obnoxious or passed-out-drunk ones—and then there’s that part about being responsible for their well-being. If you haven’t had nightmares about diners slumped over their plates and leaving in wheelbarrows like the hobbits at Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday party, you probably shouldn’t be hosting a cannabis shindig. Jeff the 420 Chef, who travels the country feeding people fine cannabis food, is well aware of his responsibility. He finds out every diner’s experience, tolerance level, and fears about what might happen before the meal begins, always serves “virgin sisters” (non-infused versions of the cannabis-laced dishes), and limits the overall amount of THC to 10 milligrams—which he says sends guests home with a solid, drama-free buzz. “No one’s hallucinating or going to the hospital,” he says. “It’s a really nice moment.”
chef and restaurateur Payton Curry, owner of Flourish edibles, stocks up on water with electrolytes and Undoo
Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook author Robyn Griggs Lawrence is the owner of Cannabis Kitchen Events, an elevated entity.
softgels (a mixture of vitamin E, olive oil, and olivetol that promises to “unhaze t h e blaze”) when he hosts cannabis-infused dinners. For a few larger events, he’s even hired nurse practitioners to administer IV bags. “Americans have been programmed to sleep it off or make themselves throw up if they have too much to drink,” Curry says. “With cannabis, it’s different. We say, ‘Here’s a pizza, a movie, and six gallons of water.’” At Denver-based Irie Weddings and Events, owner Bec Koop and her staff have an Oh, Shit Kit full of homeopathic rescue remedies; lavender, eucalyptus, and chamomile essential oils; 5-Hour Energy; and groundup pepper (said to mitigate anxiety and paranoia). Sometimes they offer a CBD-dominant flower cultivar or tincture, but that can be scary for people who don’t understand CBD’s ability to mitigate THC’s psychoactive effects. The heat of the moment is not the time for a cannabinoid lesson. “If they’re already uncomfortable,” Koop says, “they’re like, ‘Hell no! No more weed!’” Budtenders at Koop’s events always ask about guests’ experience and tolerance, and signs at the bud bars remind people to sit down or call over a friend if they feel lightheaded or dizzy (which happens a lot at Colorado altitude). No matter what, Koop’s staff never lets anyone suffer alone. “If you’re too drunk at a bar, they kick your ass out,” she says. “If you’ve overconsumed at one of our events, you’re probably going to get 90 percent of our attention.”
KNOW YOUR OPERATIONAL CONSUMPTION LEVELS Hosting with the most means being there for someone who thinks they’re dying. (It’s physically impossible to overdose on cannabis, but again, the time for a biology lesson is not while someone
HAVE AN 'OH, SHIT' KIT Overconsumption happens, even to the pros. Though he rarely has to use them, Scottsdale, Arizona-based 42 Boston A P R I L 2018
thinks it’s happening.) You need to control your own consumption—or even wait until after the party—and you better know your “operational con-
PHOTOGRAPHS © POVY KENDAL ATCHISON
KEEP THEM IN THE EUPHORIC ZONE
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reliablebud.com @reliablebud contact@reliablebud.com text 22828 DOWNLOAD OUR APP! sensimag.com APR I L 2018 43
sumption levels,” says Philip Wolf, whose company
present a holistic introduction to the plant’s botany,
Cultivating Spirits hosts cannabis-pairing dinners
tastes, aromas, and effects. Top Shelf budtenders tai-
and other events.
lor servings based on tolerance questionnaires and
The heart-racing energy you feel after consuming
actively monitor guests’ consumption using a tick-
a high-THC cultivar with energetic terpenes infects
et or wristband system. Should someone have a bad
everyone, Wolf says. “If people recognize an anx-
trip, the team can help them ride it out.
{Expert Tips} your best
PARTY ever
HIRE PROS IF YOU CAN. It sounds a little self-serving. But cannabis has been legal for less than a decade, and laws vary by state. Experienced professionals can walk you through legal and logistical gray areas and customs, plus do the hard work during the event so you can socialize. “You get to simply show up and be the butterfly,” says Irie Weddings and Events’ Bec Koop. IF YOU’RE USING AN OUTSIDE VENUE, KNOW ITS CANNABIS POLICIES. This should be the first thing you ask about, well before you book. FOR LARGER AFFAIRS, GET SECURITY. It’s required at some venues now, and it’s CRAZY not to have professionals watching the door and checking IDs and/or medical cards. HAVE A POLICY FOR MINORS. Are kids allowed? Do they need to be isolated from the area where adults are consuming? CREATE A DESIGNATED CONSUMPTION ROOM OR AREA. A dab or smoking lounge protects other guests from fumes and frames a ceremonial space. “People can celebrate their coming together, even if only for 15 or 20 minutes,” says Cultivating Spirits’ Philip Wolf. “There’s a more memorable aspect to it than getting high on the back stoop.”
GET TO KNOW YOUR GUESTS. Top Shelf Budtending’s Andrew Mieure suggests including a questionnaire with your RSVP that will help you understand how you should serve guests, individually and collectively. TAILOR CONSUMPTION METHODS TO YOUR REVELERS. Dabs are probably a little much for Midwestern relatives who haven’t smoked since senior prom. Wolf prefers flower because it’s the least potent, and Koop says half-gram minijoints are popular because they’re familiar, shareable, and guests can try several strains without overdoing it. Canna-mocktails allow for accurate microservings and are more discreet. CHOOSE THE RIGHT STRAINS. Work with a professional budtender or grower to find cultivars with terpene and cannabinoid profiles that will drive the mood you want throughout the night. CREATE A SOUNDTRACK. If you won’t have a DJ or a band, make a playlist long enough to last throughout your soiree, and test it. Even at operational consumption levels, you don’t want to be messing with the music—or worse, not have any.
“CHEAT” WITH STORE-BOUGHT INGREDIENTS. With all the premade tinctures, oils, butters, chocolates, beverages, and even water-soluble additives on the shelves, there will be no reason to spend hours making your own infusions. Accurate servings are easier to pull off with tested ingredients from a trusted establishment. When Jeff the 420 Chef makes his 420 Irish Cream for the holidays, he grinds and sprinkles one Kiva Confections chocolate-covered espresso bean on top of each mug, guaranteeing 5 milligrams of THC. START WITH A CANNA-MOCKTAIL. A nonalcoholic drink made with cannabis tincture takes effect in 15 minutes and might discourage guests from starting the night with booze. MODERATE ALCOHOL. Drinking alcohol thins blood, allowing for more active THC to enter, says Mieure, whose slogan is: “Alcohol before cannabis gets you higher, cannabis before alcohol is wiser.” If both are being served, he suggests limiting the servings and potency of each. WATER, WATER, MORE WATER. Keeping guests hydrated is beyond crucial.
THINK BRUNCH INSTEAD OF DINNER. Chef Randy Placeres of Aspen Culinary Solutions prefers late-morning gatherings when he serves infused food so his guests have the afternoon to enjoy being high and happy. “After dinner,” he says, “you kind of just go to bed.”
KEEP IT CLEAN. If guests are smoking, keep ashtrays emptied. Glass one-hitters are more sanitary than joints, especially during cold and flu season. At Top Shelf, budtenders wear gloves and clean dab rigs between every guest, no exceptions.
COOK WITH CANNABIS that has at least a 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD. Flourish’s Payton Curry tells people CBD is their “seatbelt” because it can mitigate THC’s psychoactive effects. Offering CBD-dominant food lets newcomers and people who don’t want to get high experience infused food.
BE A WITNESS PROTECTOR. Make sure you have every guest’s consent (in writing for larger events) before photos and videos are taken and posted. MAKE SURE NO ONE DRIVES HOME IMPAIRED. Lyft and Uber make it so easy.
iousness within you and you’re the focal point of
Mieure specializes in serving first-timers and peo-
the event, they’ll feel the anxiousness within them-
ple returning to cannabis after a long while, and
selves, and your party has bad vibes.”
they heighten his sense of obligation to deliver only
That’s why you hire pros, says Andrew Mieure, owner of Colorado’s Top Shelf Budtending, a service that offers certified “cannabis sommeliers” who 44 Boston A P R I L 2018
smooth, groovy adventures. “Their experiences,” he says, “can make or break the future of cannabis in America.”
sensimag.com APR I L 2018 45
{soBOS } by STEPHANIE WILSON
island Light Up
46 Boston A P R I L 2018
If you’re more of a savvy traveler than a scenester who summers, you already know that the shoulder seasons are the best times to spring for a Nantucket trip. But did you also know that the charming island was once the epicenter of the American whaling industry? Or that it’s home to the highest concentration of pre-Civil War homes? Feel free to drop these trivia tidbits on deck as your ferry passes the historic landmark lighthouse by the entrance to the inner harbor. Brant Point Light, circa 1746, was the second lighthouse established in colonial America. The original structure is long gone; this is the 10th iteration, and it’s about 596 feet away from the first. According to the National Park Service, which runs the historic registry and therefore knows about these things, Brant Point Light has been moved and rebuilt more times than any other lighthouse in the nation. The current wooden structure went up in 1901. And at 26 feet tall, it’s the shortest lighthouse in New England.
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48 Boston A P R I L 2018
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4 Boston A P R I L 2018