Sensi Magazine - San Diego (March 2018)

SAN D IE G O

THE NEW NORMAL

3.2018

the San Diego

Zoo

an evolutionary tale

natural HIGH Into the Great Wide Open

PASSING the TEST

SoCal’s Cannabis Labs

{ PLUS } Raging Cider Carlsbad’s Flower Fields + More!

ISSUE 3 // VOLUME 1 // 3.2018

contents.

32

FEATURES

26

26 Mile High Rules Don’t Apply Why I failed my first California assignment … and did we really burn on the bus with Sean Paul?

10 GET OUTSIDE!

Can cannabis intensify your relationship with the outdoors?

thezoo!

EVERY ISSUE 5 Editor’s Note 6 The Buzz 10 NewsFeed L AB TESTING

14 CrossRoads

INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN

Sensi San Diego is published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2018 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

22

18 HighSpirits

R AGING CIDER BREWERY

22 AroundTown

SAN DIEGO ZOO

32 {SoSD}

FLOWER FIELDS

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 3

sensi magazine ISSUE 3 VOLUME 1

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3.2018

March Into the

editor’s

LIGHT

NOTE

MARCH IS MY FAVORITE MONTH — NOT JUST BECAUSE IT ’S THE MONTH I WAS BORN IN, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT’S THE MONTH THAT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF SPRING, THE SEASON OF REBIRTH. THE FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF SPRING IS THE VERNAL EQUINOX— A TIME OF PERFECT BALANCE BET WEEN DAY AND NIGHT WHEN THE FORCES OF THE YIN AND YANG ARE AT A STALEMATE; THAT PRECISE MOMENT AFTER WHICH YOU KNOW THAT THE DARKNESS NOW IS WANING AND THE LIGHT IS GROWING STRONGER. Looking around at what’s going on in our country

help inspire new generations of artists, musicians, poets,

and our world lately, it sure feels like things are out of

and scientists. It will transform the way people think, and

balance —like the dark side is winning. But as the old

the way they view themselves, their fellow man, and their

saying goes, it’s always darkest before the dawn. We

environment.

mustn’t forget that ever ything in nature happens in

Yes, once cannabis is truly legal, once the stigma final-

cycles — that eventually, the darkness ebbs, the light

ly falls away and mainstream American society is under

returns, and balance is restored.

the influence (ok, that one was intended), it will engen-

So what does all this have to do with cannabis? Well,

der a more mellow mindset, a more compassionate cul-

interestingly enough, balance is also the purpose of our

ture. I believe that from these dark ages, a new renais-

endocannabinoid system. That’s what it does—it keeps

sance will emerge —a rebirth of the American spirit that

the various systems inside our bodies in balance. And

cannabis will help inspire. Until then, we’ll just keep on

politically speaking, cannabis is one of the brightest

marching toward the light.

lights in our socioeconomic landscape. Despite some significant bumps in the road, legalization is marching

Highest regards,

forward at a rapid pace. Once federal prohibition falls —and it will— cannabis will undoubtedly transform our nation for the better. It will create millions of green jobs (no pun intended) and generate billions in tax revenues that can be used to fund education, infrastructure, and medical research. It will incite activism and outreach

Bobby Black

and free thousands of those unjustly imprisoned. It will

@ BOBBYBL ACK

SoCAL EDITOR

A D V I S O RY B OA R D FlowerKist by Steph // TOPICALS

Pot Drive // MEDIA & ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGY

LINX Card // MERCHANT SERVICES

Therapy Tonics & Provisions // EDIBLES

Mighty Meds Vape // VAPE

Webjoint // POINT OF SALE SOFTWARE

Outco // CULTIVATION & DELIVERY

Yobi (Silver State Software) // STORE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 5

THE NE W N O R M A L

the

buzz

RHYTHM &

shoes

The Off-Broadway smash Stomp brings its percussive performance to the Balboa Theater.

Typically speaking, if you were to encounter a group of people loudly banging a bunch of random objects together, you’d probably find it annoying and walk away—or worse, report them for disturbing the peace.

When those people are doing that banging on stage as part of the hit show Stomp, however, it’s an altogether different matter.

Described as eccentric, entertaining, energetic, exhilarating, and even explosive, Stomp is a unique percussive performance that incorporates rhythm, dance, and humor to entertain audiences using a variety

A MONTHLY RECOMMENDATION FOR MUSICAL MEDICATION FROM JON PACELLA, A SALES SPECIALIST AT THE ICONIC AMOEBA MUSIC IN HOLLYWOOD. ALBUM: No Time For Dreaming (2011) ARTIST: Charles Bradley FAVORITE TRACK: “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” Another year wrought with loss in the entertainment world, 2017 saw one especially sad departure—the passing of the “Screaming Eagle of Soul,” singer Charles Bradley.

As detailed in Charles Bradley: Soul of America, Bradley was the product of a hard knock life that showed him little mercy over the years. But like the great bluesmen of yore, this humble artist persevered—channeling his sadness, struggles, joy, and pain into something tangible, until finally gaining mainstream recognition after he was 50 years old.

of everyday objects as musical instruments.

Using small, personal items like matchboxes and lighters, household staples from broomsticks to trash cans, and street junk like bottles, hubcaps, and shopping carts, Stomp’s eight-member troupe molds melody from cacophony using their feet, hands, and even heads—but absolutely no words.

Created in England in 1991, the show has since expanded to include wildly successful productions at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and at New York’s Orpheum Theatre, where it’s fast approaching the 25th year of its run. It was even performed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. as part of

America’s

Alongside his Menahan Street Band, Bradley stripped soul music down to its very essence

Millennium celebration in 1999. Now the

and laid it bare. There’s no sadder lament for humanity than “The World (Is Going Up In Flames).”

smash-bang sound spectacle is on tour

When he wails, “Why is it so hard to make it in America?” (in the song of the same name),

and coming to SoCal for just a few limited

another artist’s song, he took it in and made it his own. Whether it was the mellow R&B vibes on Neil Young’s classic “Heart of Gold,” the funky groove of Nirvana’s “Stay Away,” or the masterful reworking of Black Sabbath’s “Changes,” Bradley and the band twisted the songs through a musical prism, bending them until they shone through in a beautifully different way.

I highly recommend not only listening to his music but also watching the documentary about his life, Charles Bradley: Soul of America, to learn about this remarkable, inspirational man.

6 San Diego MA RCH 2018

dates: fresh off its recent run in Riverside, it's playing only three nights early this month at the Balboa Theater before heading back east. For more info, visit STOMPONLINE.COM . {Where} Balboa Theater {When} March 2-4

© 2018 STOMP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRODUCTION PHOTOS BY STEVE MCNICHOLAS.

you feel every bit of his despair. And much like the late Johnny Cash, when Bradley covered

Sensi concert CALENDAR A brief listing of some of the top shows in and around San Diego this month.

CANNABIS

class

It’s clear that cannabis is finally entering mainstream culture when local community colleges start offering classes about “cannabis as both a plant and an indus-

3/1

3/14

Flogging Molly

try.” That’s what’s happening this month at San Diego

– Belly Up Tavern

– Observatory North Park

Community College, which is offering an “Introduction

3/1

3/15

to Cannabis” class through the San Diego Continuing

3/2

3/16

They Might Be Giants Suicide Girls – The Music Box Langhorne Slim – The Music Box

A$AP Ferg – House of Blues Los Lobos – Poway Center for the

3/2

Performing Arts

3/3

San Diego Music Awards

Earthless – The Casbah

3/19

Education program.

Instructor Christine Fallon reached out to San Diego’s cannabis community to develop the curriculum for the course. She says the goal of the class is to “break into almost every aspect of cannabis—going from horticul-

Gogol Bordello

– House of Blues

ture to pharmacology to policy.” Each of those three

3/21-22

Queens of the Stone Age

topics will be covered by a weekly, three-hour class,

3/3

3/3-4

3/22-23

– Observatory North Park

Earthless – The Casbah CRSSD Festival Feat. Empire of the Sun – Waterfront Park

– Observatory North Park

Phillip Phillips – Belly Up Tavern

each of which will include guest speakers to help give students deeper insight into the material.

The horticulture class will cover basic plant care and

3/23

physiology and will feature agriculturalist Nathan Lou, who will discuss organics and technological trends in

Boyz II Men

Tribal Theory – House of Blues 3/23

cultivation.

3/4

3/24

of cannabis on the mind and body, as well as sub-

– Observatory North Park

3/25

3/3-4

– Pechanga Resort & Casino

Stone Temple Pilots

RJD2 – Music Box Chick Corea – Jacobs Music Center

The pharmacology class will delve into the effects jects like dosing, extractions, and other methods of in-

Umphrey’s McGee

gestion such as vape pens and edibles.

3/6

3/27

focuses on cannabis policy, starting with the history

3/7

3/27-28

at the current era of legalization and advocacy. Fea-

3/5-6 311 – House of Blues

Psychedelic Furs – Belly Up Tavern Herbie Hancock – Balboa Theater

– Observatory North Park

Quinn XCII – Observatory North Park Aaron Lewis

3/7

– Sycuan Live & Up Close Theatre

3/7

George Clinton – House of Blues

Of Mice and Men – Soma

3/28

Kenny Wayne Sheppard

3/29

3/8

3/29

– Belly Up Tavern

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

– Belly Up Tavern 3/8

Chris Botti

– California Center for the Arts 3/9

Fozzy – House of Blues 3/9

Talib Kweli – The Music Box

Declan McKenna – Music Box

For the third and final week of the course, the study of prohibition and criminalization followed by a look tured speakers include activist Terrie Best, San Diego chapter chair of Americans for Safe Access.

If you’re new to the whole cannabis scene and seeking to learn more, this beginner’s course might be just the thing for you.

— A.J. HERRINGTON

Missio – House of Blues 3/29

Galactic – Belly Up Tavern

3/29

J Boog - Observatory North Park 3/29-30

The Commodores - Sycuan Live & Up

Close Theatre 3/30

{ What} Introduction to Cannabis { Where} Room 103 — San Diego Continuing Education, Cesar Chavez Campus 1901 Main St., San Diego { When} Wednesdays, March 7, 14, 21 6 p.m.–9 p.m. { Price} $90

Doyle – Brick by Brick

San Diego Beatles Fair - Queen

Bee’s Art & Cultural Center

{ More Info} (619) 388–1910

3/10-11

3/31

COMMUNITYED.SDCE.EDU

3/10

G. Love & Special Sauce – Belly Up Tavern

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) - House of Blues

{ To register} SDCCD.AUGUSOFT.NET

3/12

Buddy Guy – California Center for the Arts sensimag.com MARCH 2018 7

THE NE W N O R M A L

taco TAKEDOWN

the

buzz

The nachos aren’t the only thing that’s cheesy at this gaudy gourmet taco spot.

BY SARAH A. NEWTON

I first heard of this hot little taco heaven when my husband texted an old buddy asking where the best lunch spot was near the airport. Almost immediately, he responded: “Lucha Libre Taco Shop!” Sure enough, after just one visit to this infamous taqueria, it became our new favorite post-airport lunch spot.

Lucha Libre, as the name would suggest, is decked out with a vibrant Mexican wrestling decor that’s true to the our southern neighbor’s favorite form of entertainment (next to telenovelas, of course). This small space has a huge personality, with hot pink walls, televisions playing classic wrestling matches, and a coveted Gold Champion’s Booth— reserved exclusively for luchador winners, or anyone else who makes a reservation a day or more in advance.

If the campy decor doesn't win you over, then the phenomenal food definitely will. Voted Best Cheap Eats by San Diego magazine in 2009, Lucha Libre features an eclectic menu filled with a mix of gourmet fan favorites with funny names, like the “Undefeated Seafood Burrito,” “Tap Me Out Tacos,” “Knockout Fries,” the “Smackdown Quesadilla,” and the famous “TJ Dog”— a beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with ketchup, mustard, mayo and fajita-style grilled vegetables. There’s also a delicious fresh-made salsa bar with homemade chips, an amazing array of vegan and vegetarian options, and even a kids meal for the little luchadors in training. Plus, if you come in wearing a Lucha mask, you’ll get the Luchador Discount.

Tacos, beer, and Mexican wrestling, all right around the corner from the San Diego Airport. What more could you ask for in a dining experience?

LUCHA LIBRE TACO SHOP 1810 W. Washington St. // Mission Hills Fresh Hot Spot Alert: New Location Now Open 3016 University Ave. // North Park TACOSMACKDOWN.COM 8 San Diego MA RCH 2018

decadent DES T I N AT I ON

Of all of the decadent delectables one might indulge in, wine and chocolate are unquestionably two of the most tempting. That bittersweet bite of dark cacao, washed down with a sip of a deep, dry red, is absolute heaven. Now, you can enjoy both of these luscious delights in one gloriously gourmet weekend at Pechanga’s 10th Annual Chocolate Decadence and Wine Festival.

Just over an hour’s ride around (or through) the Cleveland National Forest in SoCal’s wine capital Temecula, Pechanga Resort and Casino has been rated the top casino in the country by USA Today. But beyond all of the slot machines and poker tables, Pechanga is home to some first-class restaurants, clubs and convention halls— the most impressive of which is its new 40,000-square-foot event center, Pechanga Summit. For two days this month, the Summit will be transformed into a sensational showcase of scrumptious sweet and savory treats.

First, on Friday, March 9, the Chocolate Decadence expo features over 50,000 different chocolate candies and confections, paired with more than 30 varieties of vino. On Saturday, the chocolate melts away, and the wines take over— offering hundreds of selections to sip and sample from a multitude of vineyards from around the world. Admission on both days includes tastings, live music, a silent auction and even a souvenir wine glass. Spring for the VIP ticket, and you'll get an even fancier glass, as well as hors d'oeuvres and early entry. Plus, there’s no need to feel guilty for indulging in these guilty pleasures, as proceeds from both events will be donated to Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley’s program to provide housing and home repairs for needy and disabled seniors.

– BB

Chocolate Decadence Festival When: Fri., Mar. 9 // 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Where: Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula Tickets: $60 // VIP $80

NOW LICENSED FOR BOTH MEDICAL & ADULT-USE OPEN 7 A.M. TO 9 P.M. EVERY DAY

Pechanga Wine Festival When: Sat., Mar. 10 // 1 p.m.–5 p.m.

Where: Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula Tickets: $65 // VIP $90

Combo tickets (both days): $100, VIP $140

PECHANGA.COM/ENTERTAIN

march MOVIE MADNESS

If you’re a cinephile in San Diego, then this is your lucky month, because March 2 marks the start of the second-annual San Diego Film Week—a cinematic celebration of local filmmakers and their works. The lineup at the10-day-long event features a number of panels, exhibitions, workshops, and parties, as well as screenings of over 100 films culled from over a dozen local festivals—including San Diego's International, Latino, and Asian film festivals. The screenings are held at the Museum of Photographic Arts plus a few other locations across San Diego County. It all kicks off on the evening of March 2 with an opening night Red Carpet Gala. A highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the nominees for the Fifth-Annual San Diego Film Awards, taking place at Humphrey’s By the Bay on April 8. For more info, visit SDFILMWEEK.COM and MOPA.ORG . { WHAT } Second Annual San Diego Film Week { WHERE } Museum of Photographic Arts 1649 El Prado (Balboa Park) and other venues { WHEN } March 2–11, 2017 { PRICE } $8 – $250

7128 Miramar Rd. Suite 10 (Upstairs) San Diego, CA 92121

(858) 247-0953 mankindcoop.com We Accept Credit Cards

Discounts for Veterans, Seniors & Disability sensimag.com MARCH 2018 9

{newsfeed}

by A. J. HERRINGTON

LEARN MORE CannaSafe Analytics CSALABS.COM

Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs INFINITECAL.COM

PharmLabs

SDPHARMLABS.COM

PHOTOGRAPH © A. J. HERRINGTON

Greg Magdoff, PharmLabs CEO

10 San Diego MA RCH 2018

PASSING THE TEST Mandatory analytic laboratory testing for all cannabis products sold in California’s new adult use market is good news for both the consumer and the cannabis testing industry.

As California transitions from its medical marijuana model into the fully legalized adult-use cannabis

tabase to allow transparency into the inventories and sales of all cannabis in the state.

market authorized by the Adult Use of Marijuana Act

The purpose of most of the tests necessary for com-

(AUMA), the Wild West guidelines of the past are now

pliance is to ensure that products are free from chemi-

being replaced by strict new regulations for business-

cal or biological contamination. Biological contaminants

es and products. One of the primary goals of these

such as mites or other insects, as well as bacterial and

new rules is to inform consumers about precisely what

fungal pathogens, can be harmful if ingested through

they’re ingesting, and ensure that whatever it is, it’s

the lungs via smoking, vaping, or aerosol products—

safe for consumption. To that end, analytical laborato-

particularly for those with an immune system compro-

ry testing of all cannabis products—be it flower, con-

mised by disease or autoimmune therapies. To prevent

centrate, edible or otherwise—is now required.

consumers from possibly contracting such microbial

According to 2017’s Medicinal and Adult-Use Can-

pathogens, all cannabis products must be tested for

nabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), all canna-

Salmonella and E. coli. And any goods intended to be

bis and cannabis products harvested or manufactured

used via inhalation—i.e., smoking and vaping—must

on or after January 1 must be tested according to the

also be checked for Aspergillus, which can lead to dan-

specifications spelled out in title 16, section 5715 of

gerous infections of the lungs.

the California Code of Regulations. However, although

Other potential contaminants the labs are looking

these new regulations technically went into effect at

for include fertilizers and pesticides often used during

the beginning of the year, any untested products that

cultivation, many of which are not safe for human

were already in the retail pipeline before January 1 are

consumption, especially if combusted during smoking.

still permitted to be sold until July 1—provided that a

Most reputable labs can test for up to 50 different pes-

label disclaiming that the product is untested is affixed

ticides. Josh Swider, co-owner of San Diego’s Infinite

to the package prior to its distribution or sale. After

Chemical Analysis Labs, relates that the allowable lev-

this six-month grace period, all cannabis retailers and

els of some chemicals are so low that some farmers

delivery services will be required to sell only products

who’ve never used pesticides can unwittingly end up

that have been tested, and that have been purchased

failing tests due to their use by other growers nearby,

from licensed distributors. (It’s these distributors, not

or even sometimes less apparent sources like pets on

the retailers, who will bear the responsibility and ex-

property. “Make sure you don’t have flea-collared an-

pense of testing.) Compliance with these requirements

imals running around in your grow,” Swider cautions.

will be enforced by the Bureau of Cannabis Control

In the case of concentrates, or any products infused

(BCC) using a “seed to sale” tracking system known as

with concentrates, labs are required to test for any re-

Metrc, in which all plants and products are tagged with

sidual chemical solvents (such as butane or propane)

a unique RFID identifier and entered into the online da-

that may have been used during the extraction prosensimag.com MARCH 2018 11

cesses—which, in high enough concentrations, can be

On top of the operating costs involved in running a

toxic as well. (Though, its worth noting that despite the

lab, there are also the considerable compliance costs

scare tactics employed in some mainstream report-

to take into account. Matt Haskin, the owner of Can-

ing on the topic, even a poorly purged concentrate is

naSafe Analytics, elaborates: “The state charges a

highly unlikely to contain enough parts-per-million of

$1000 application fee, as well as an annual license fee

these solvents to cause any noticeable effect or harm

which varies anywhere from $20,000 to $90,000 de-

to the consumer).

pending on revenue. In addition, each local jurisdiction

Another factor involved in cannabis testing is a

also has its own fee structure and taxes. Then there

sample’s cannabinoid composition. Potency tests to

are the legal costs, which also vary depending on how

determine cannabinoid levels have been popular for

much a lab relies on their legal team. Some attorneys

years, as growers and dispensary owners have found

are charging as much as $50,000 to process a license

great marketing value in being able to advertise the

application for their clients. And finally, there’s the cost

strength of various strains or formulations. The infor-

associated with becoming accredited by ISO (the Inter-

mation is also useful for cannabis patients in helping

national Organization for Standardization), which is re-

them determine proper dosing. The new state regu-

quired by the state. Again, this cost can vary depend-

lations require testing for levels of THC, CBD, and four

ing on how much a lab relies on consultants to assist

other cannabinoids. In the case of edibles and tinc-

them in the process, but I’d say the average is about

tures, tests for homogeneity—or consistency of dose

$10,000 to $30,000 to obtain accreditation, and then

from serving to serving—are also prescribed.

another $15,000 annually to maintain it.”

The BCC plans to roll out more mandatory tests

That’s a pretty hefty bill of startup expenses to have

over the course of the year. Starting on July 1, labs will

to recoup. As a result, a typical Southern California lab

also be required to perform tests for additional pesti-

charges anywhere from $350 to $500 per sample for

cides and solvents not previously included, as well as a

the full array of tests needed for compliance. However,

“filth and foreign material” inspection for environmen-

since only one panel of tests is necessary for a crop of up

tal contaminants such as rat hairs, bug poop, and the

to 50 pounds of material, businesses can mitigate some

like. Tests for mycotoxins (poisons created by fungi),

of that cost by pre-purchasing multiple tests in advance

heavy metals, and terpenes are also expected to be

or by producing large batches to be tested at once.

added to the list by the end of this year. Officials de-

All of this begs the question: exactly how much of

cided to institute these requirements in phases rather

these exorbitant costs are passed on to the consum-

than all at once to give businesses a fair chance to get

er? Apparently, not a whole lot according to Ebon

up to speed.

Johnson, co-owner of San Diego’s Mankind Collective.

Most everyone agrees that mandated lab testing

Johnson, who’s collective has already been testing all

will help consumers make more informed decisions

of its products since last year, insists that lab costs are

and ensure safer product. But the question then be-

responsible for only a negligible increase in retail. “It

comes, what is it going to cost us? Professional anal-

doesn’t have a huge impact on the price because of the

ysis isn’t cheap—the equipment alone for a lab can

quantity being tested,” he claims. “Maybe 50 cents or

run upwards of a million dollars or more and must be

so is added to the price per eighth.”

operated by highly trained, and thus well paid, per-

David Marelius, co-owner of Infinite Chemical Anal-

sonnel. Plus, BCC regulations require that all samples

ysis, concurs—pointing out that paying the govern-

for testing also be collected and delivered by a trained

ment its share will add far more to the bottom line

employee of the lab as opposed to allowing third-party

than lab costs: “I don’t think the testing is going to raise

couriers—a policy that would require hiring and train-

it much, it’s the taxes that are going to increase prices.”

ing more staff, and one that seems to have caught the

But costs aren’t the only factor that will affect retail

testing industry off-guard.

12 San Diego MA RCH 2018

prices—there’s also the matter of availability. Since

AUMA gives local municipalities the final say over

that’s been converted into a massive cannabis business

what types of cannabis business if any they will per-

and cultivation complex, which also includes packaging

mit to operate, many areas have not yet authorized

and distribution companies as well as nearly 300 square

labs—and some might never. The cities of San Diego,

feet of canopy. (Because the facility is located on tribal

Long Beach, Coachella, Lake Elsinore and Irvine have

land, it’s exempt from the ban on cannabis businesses

all passed ordinances permitting labs, but LA is still

imposed on San Diego County’s other unincorporated

working on their legislation, and San Diego County has

areas.) And just a couple of months ago, they opened

outlawed any form of commercial cannabis activity in

their latest and largest facility in Van Nuys, which has

its unincorporated areas, and that includes labs.

five times the processing capacity as their previous lo-

As this issue goes to press, only 20 temporary

cations (around 500 samples a day).

lab-testing licenses have been issued by the BCC state-

Also expanding their operations here in Southern

wide. With so few licensed labs in place to process the

California is PharmLabs. PharmLabs opened its first

impending tidal wave of cannabis that will require test-

laboratory in San Diego’s pot culture mecca, Ocean

ing, fears of a possible backlog are legitimate. When

Beach back in 2011. In 2016, they added new facilities

lab-testing laws went into effect in Oregon in 2016,

in Hawaii and Coachella. Now, expanding to accom-

within three months, the shortage of accredited lab ca-

modate the growing market created by regulation,

pacity caused a bottleneck in the supply chain. This delay

CEO Greg Magdoff has added a brand new Long Beach

in supply led to price increases of 25-50% in more than a

location to their roster.

third of the state’s dispensaries, and the lost sales creat-

But Magdoff isn’t only relying on more space to in-

ed by lack of product led to layoffs and failed businesses.

crease production—he’s also embracing technolog-

While acknowledging that turnaround times for test

ical innovations. Partnering with 42+0 Technologies,

results might increase slightly, Haskin doesn’t believe

Magdoff has created a proprietary new app called

that too few labs will necessarily lead to shortages in

PharmWare—a cloud-based information manage-

cannabis supply. “Assuming that a majority of the ex-

ment system that streamlines lab processes and gives

isting labs get licensed within a reasonable amount of

customers access to results in real time. He’s also

time, I don’t think there will be much of a bottleneck,”

teamed up with robotics engineering firm Obotics to

he predicts.

create a customized, automated testing system called

Nevertheless, in hopes of preventing a situation like

the CannaDeck that can analyze 100 samples in eight

the one in Oregon from occurring here, a lot of new

hours, faster and with greater precision than human

players are stepping in to fill the vacuum—companies

lab technicians. Magdoff envisions operating at least

like San Diego’s Infinite Chemical Analysis, which is

ten PharmLabs labs serving California within the next

willing to do whatever it takes to gain new custom-

several years, and eventually up to 50 locations na-

ers and grow the business. “We’re prepared to pick up

tionwide as legalization continues to spread.

any number of samples, anywhere from LA all the way

Like just about every other type of business that falls

down to the Mexican border,” says owner Josh Swider.

under the big green umbrella known as the cannabis

“If somebody has 50 to 100 samples to pick up, I’ll get

industry, testing laboratories face a daunting gamut of

there tomorrow—and every week after that.”

financial and legal hurdles. But despite the significant

Many established labs are also rising to the occa-

costs and challenges involved, it’s more than worth it

sion—ramping up production and building new facilities.

for them, as they stand to reap huge profits. And its

For example, CannaSafe began in 2011 as a relatively

worth it for us, because in the end, mandated labora-

small operation in Murrieta. In 2014, they opened a sec-

tory testing is essential to ensuring that California’s

ond facility up in Washington state. Then last year, they

legal cannabis industry is held to a high standard and

opened another location inside the Santa Ysabel Botan-

that consumers will get only the cleanest, safest, most

ical Enterprise Facility—a former Iipay Nation casino

effective products possible. sensimag.com MARCH 2018 13

{crossroads}

by RICARDO BACA

INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN How cannabis has intensified my relationship with the outdoors.

With winter almost behind us, it’s time to start wean-

stress, improve focus, diminish depression, and restore

ing from the Netflix binges, cover those unfinished DIY

us physically and mentally. It’s also true that, submerged

home projects with a big sheet, and call the hot chocolate-

in the natural world, things are simplified but also am-

by-the-fire-fueled #relationshipgoals good and met.

plified — and because cannabis is an amplifier as well,

Throwing open the windows to let in the crisp spring air always gets me psyched to put the plans in motion for

the inherent beauty and giddy sense of discovery are magnified on a grand scale.

some warm-weather diversions paired with cannabis.

In addition, it’s still entirely possible to continue con-

While some people find that they’re most comfortable

trolling some aspects —you can bring along your favor-

consuming in a confined and tightly controlled space,

ite beverage in a bota bag, or settle into the tent with the

many of us prefer to explore our natural substances—be

rain fly open to the cooling night sky. It does make sense

it cannabis or psilocybin —while also exploring nature,

to consider the setting and adjust your consumption ac-

believing that the experience is very much enhanced by

cordingly. For instance, where others might overcon-

being immersed in an organic environment.

sume alcohol and get silly, if I’m camping and know that

Don’t get me wrong: Getting high indoors is great.

we’re sedentary for the night — our tent is set up and

You decide what the temperature will be, steep that

we’ve lost track of our car keys, so we’re not going any-

mug of hot tea whenever it’s convenient, wrap your-

where —I might have more cannabis than I normally do,

self in a snuggy blankie, and settle in knowing that all

maybe a solid indica-based edible in the hopes that I

is well in your little self-made world.

sleep better that night on the cold, hard ground.

But getting high in the outdoors can be truly lifechanging. It’s not just that nature is good for us: Study

In fact, consuming cannabis al fresco has led me to some truly extraordinary adventures.

after scientific study has proven that spending time

Of course, I will always remember fondly my first time

surrounded by red rock, relaxing on a beach, walking

combining open air and edibles: Some friends and I were

through the woods, or paddling down a river can relieve

rafting the Lower Colorado River between Loma (Colo

14 San Diego MA RCH 2018

RICARDO BACA is a veteran journalist and the founder and original editor-in-chief of The Cannabist.

His content agency Grasslands works primarily with businesses and individuals in the cannabis and hemp industries on thought leadership and messaging via thoughtful and personalized content campaigns.

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 15

rado) and Westwater (Utah), and we had brought along some chocolate mint cookies to share at the campsite.

These were the early days, and so we were a little un-

I WA S WITH MY L ADY,

OUTSIDE IN THE FRESH, WARM A IR AND

certain about dosage. I wound up getting so high and

WATER, RELEASED FROM MY DAY-TO-DAY

so absorbed in the campfire-heightened ambiance and

OBLIGATIONS, AND THERE WAS NO PLACE

the often hilarious and sometimes deeply contempla-

IN THE WOR L D T HAT I W O UL D R AT HE R

tive conversation that I completely forgot the river was rushing along beside us — and when it hit me, it was a

HAVE BEEN AT THAT MOMENT.

joyous realization all over again.

In the months that followed that fun, I was able to

us rent bikes, and then took us all around the area, from

nail down my own tolerance and began to better ingest

busy streets lined with amazing public art to the rural

within my limits, which wound up being helpful during a

area where our friend was raised. That’s when we ped-

trip to Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Not far from Am-

aled onto this mind-blowing path, which at dusk was

sterdam — where space cake-selling coffeeshops are

just beginning to release the sunrays it had been ab-

in abundance — Eindhoven is home to the famous Van

sorbing all day. We already had been gently lifted earli-

Gogh-Roosegaarde bike path, which beckoned with its

er from pieces of space cake, and that helped to elevate

twinkly, solar-charged lights embedded in stone, meant

this to the otherworldly, with these multicolored lights

to evoke the artist’s trippy and surreal painting The

like stars springing up from the pebbles as we mean-

Starry Night.

dered along, past windmills from other Van Gogh paint-

My wife and I told our host we wanted to check it out, so he walked us over to the train station and helped

ings and through tree-lined open spaces.

Along a more reflective vein, many would argue that

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16 San Diego MA RCH 2018

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isolated section of stream and waited for the trout to find my dry fly. I got a couple on but never landed anything, but it was still such a special and meaningful day: I was with my lady, outside in the fresh, warm air and water, released from my day-to-day obligations, and there was no place in the world that I would rather have been at that moment.

Of course, as when ingesting any psychoactive substance, safety is essential. In the Netherlands, I felt fishing is somewhat of a meditative sport, and cannabis

completely comfortable with my dosage, and having a

is a meditative medicine— and so when combining the

guide along was key. And while I don’t smoke flower,

two, it’s no surprise that it can be an enchanting experi-

most cannabis consumers do, and so always be hyper-

ence. Patience is obviously a top requirement (that’s why

aware of where that roach winds up and that fires are

they call it fishing and not catching), and it’s that requi-

completely out. Of course having a designated driver

site steadfastness and dedication that appeals to me

picked out before you imbibe is a must.

— which brings me to the time my wife and I had a day

Also, as legalization spreads across the country, it’s

off, and I heard Colorado’s Clear Creek calling our names.

worth noting that consumption of any and all kinds is

She graciously offered to be designated driver, and

still very much illegal on federal lands—which includes

so armed with a bottle of wine, a 10 mg edible and a

national parks, national forests and designated wilder-

couple of fly rods, we headed out. As I became pleas-

ness areas. But otherwise, enjoy that sun-grown un-

antly elevated, I waded out into the middle of this

derneath the sun.

FOLLOW US @POTDRIVE sensimag.com MARCH 2018 17

spirits} {highspirits

PHOTOGRAPH © COURTESY OF THE RAGING CIDER & MEAD CO.

by DAVID RUISE

BREWIN’ WILD Craft brewery Raging Cider & Mead Co. is the fermented apple of San Diego County’s eye.

Boasting nearly 200 licensed breweries, America’s

menting fruits such as apples and pears. As for mead

Finest City is also the nation’s unofficial microbrew

(also known as honey-wine), it’s crafted by fermenting

capital. So naturally, San Diegans are no strangers to

honey and water, and often flavored with the addition

the plethora of tasty brews out there. However, if your

of fruits, flowers and/or spices. Ciders and meads typ-

palate is on the hunt for an alternative to the abun-

ically tend to have a slightly sweeter flavor than the

dance of ales, IPAs, stouts and lagers out there, Raging

previously mentioned alcoholic beverages, making

Cider & Mead Co. might offer just the thing your taste

them an ideal choice for drinkers who may find the

buds are craving.

bitterness of beer or wine distasteful. Raging Ciders’

Unlike beer, which is typically made from fermented

beverages, however, shy away from sugary sweet-

grains like hops and barley, or wine (which we all know

ness—opting instead for a drier flavor. Sugary or not,

is made from grapes), hard ciders are made by fer-

there’s no denying the locals are sweet on this small

18 San Diego MA RCH 2018

craft brewery in San Marcos.

had continued his hobby of home-brew-

“We’ve seen amazing crowds since the day we

ing beer until around nine years ago, when,

opened,” says founder Dave Carr, who’s been pleas-

upon discovering that Kerry suffered

antly surprised by how much momentum Raging Cider

from a gluten intolerance, he immediate-

has built since first opening their doors in November of

ly switched to crafting ciders and meads

last year. “I guess because, like a lot of businesses, this

instead. The couple spent the years that

all came from personal motivation and passion.”

followed having fun and experimenting

Carr’s love of brewing beer dates back over 20 years—a

with their own recipes and methods. That

passion surpassed in length and depth only by that

cider brewing experience, coupled with

for his wife (and Raging Cider co-founder) Kerry. Their

their love of growing and foraging pro-

romance dates back to the 1980s—their “youth gone

duce, ended up landing David a job man-

wild” days when they were a young punk couple sport-

aging orchards in Julian and Descanso—

ing spiked leather jackets, mohawks, and the like. Back

and later, to them purchasing their own

then, their mantra “Let’s rage!” was code for spirited

acreage in Valley Center. It’s the combined

rebellion and good times with like-minded friends.

harvests of these orchards that supply all

Eventually, though, the couple married, settled down,

of the apples and pears used in their cider

and raised a family in rural north San Diego County. Carr

production. Drawing from the 25 apple sensimag.com MARCH 2018 19

and 13 pear varieties grown on these lands, they’ve so

On any given day, Raging Cider has up to 10 differ-

far concocted dozens of different blends. But it wasn’t

ent drinks on tap, including standard offerings—such

until Carr inherited the Crown Steel Manufacturing

as their Black Twig cider containing smoked apples and

business from his father, and decided to transform the

aged in Hungarian Oak, and their Brandon’s Mulberry

backside of the warehouse into a public drinking space,

mead, made with locally-sourced avocado honey and

that their hobby truly became a business.

mulberries—as well as various seasonal brews. Some

Of course, every successful company needs some

of the new spring blends you can expect to find there

solid branding. For theirs, they hearkened back to

starting this month are the Newtown Pippin Blend (tart

those wild punk days of their youth to come up with

& dry, with a hint of oak), Lil’ Sister (a funky, floral, me-

both the name—Raging Cider—and the logo: a car-

dium dry with red wine notes, reminiscent of French

toon of an angry apple in a spiked leather vest. You can

cidres), and Volcan Mountain Perry (a medium-sweet

taste the spirit of that wild youth today in their ciders

blend of cultivated and wild seedling pears with a nice

and meads—all of which are aged in oak barrels us-

body and notes of tartness).

ing the ancient technique of wild fermentation. That

As an added value, the brewery has partnered with

means that unlike mass-produced alcoholic beverag-

several local food trucks and caterers to offer delicious

es that use cultivated, processed yeasts, they use only

snacks and meals for their patrons to enjoy with their

native, “ambient” yeasts—natural, spontaneously oc-

brews, including Phatties Food Truck (which makes Cen-

curring bacteria and microbes from

tral Mexican specialties), and The Carver, Coal, and Bar-

the surrounding environment.

rel, who sponsor their Cider & BBQ Sundays—a weekly event offering amazing “San Diego” style barbecue (that is, meats smoked over avocado wood and served with cider-based sauces and marinades). They also enjoy participating in other local festivals and events, such as the San Diego Fermentation Festival, which they could be seen slinging cider at just last month.

With expectations of producing nearly 3200 gallons of cider this coming year, it seems that big things are on the horizon for this modest little meadery. It’s a lifestyle and level of success that neither David nor Kerry could have imagined back in their days of “raging.”

“Who would’ve thought back then that we’d be here now?” says Carr, looking back with amusement.

Whether you come to enjoy the cozy tasting room and spacious, dog-friendly patio, or just to fill up a growler to take home, it’s worth paying a visit to this craft brewery that’s sure to be a mainstay in San Diego’s north county for many years to come.

For info on upcoming events and current offerings, visit RAGINGCIDERMEAD.COM and FACEBOOK.COM/ RAGINGCIDER.

20 San Diego MA RCH 2018

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sensimag.com MARCH 2018 21

{aroundtown}

HAMADRYAS B

by A. J. HERRINGTON

ZOO-OLOGICAL EVOLUTION The San Diego Zoo’s most recent attraction, Africa Rocks, continues to lead the trend of mimicking its inhabitants’ natural environment.

Zoos can be amazing places to discover the effect

bys Africa Rocks. The ambitious exhibit replaced the

evolution has had on animal species over the millennia.

eight-acre section of the park formerly known as Dog

Fascinating variations in structure or appearance afford

and Cat Canyon, a holdout from the 1930s that had

creatures competitive advantage, usually in the quest

housed big cats and canine species in large cages and

for either food or sex. Like their tenants, the zoos that

moated grottoes until it’s $68 million redevelopments

display animals for public viewing have also been un-

last year. Today, a wheelchair accessible walkway me-

dergoing a process of evolution, due to pressure from

anders gently down the slope, leading visitors from

visitors uncomfortable with the plight of creatures

one environment to the next. Africa Rocks highlights

confined to sterile cages or other enclosures that are

some of the lesser-known mammals found on the

nothing like their natural environments. Among these

continent; the larger, more popular species—such as

institutions, the San Diego Zoo has been a leader in

elephants, lions, gorillas, and giraffes—can be viewed

bettering the treatment of the animals in their care—

in other areas throughout the park.

going back as far as 1986, when the first “bio-climate”

The descent into the canyon begins with the Ethi-

enclosure, the African Kopje (pronounced “cope-ee”),

opian Highlands, where the stars of the show are the

made its debut. This exhibit features multiple species,

Hamadryas Baboons. Reminiscent of a scene from

such as rock hyrax and dwarf mongoose, living togeth-

Planet of the Apes, a row of motionless sentries sur-

er in an environment that mimics their natural home in

vey the landscape from a ridgeline of manufactured

rocky mounds that rise from South African veld.

rock. Oblivious to their vigilance, the younger monkeys

Thirty years later, the kopje is but one of six distinct

clamber through the treetops in a game of tag. Anoth-

bioclimates in the zoo’s newest attraction, Conrad Pre-

er species hanging out nearby is the gelada—a ba-

22 San Diego MA RCH 2018

WEST AFRICAN DWARF CROCODILE

leopard

M

AFRICA

Africa d Meerkat

BABOON

COQUEREL'S SIFAKA

african penguin

VISITING THE ZOO

The zoo is located in Balboa Park at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego and is open every day of the year. Hours vary seasonally.

One-day tickets are $54 for adults and $44 for children. For about the cost of two admissions, annual memberships allow unlimited visits to both the Zoo and the San Diego Safari Park in Escondido and also include a subscription to ZOONOOZ magazine.

Detailed information is available at SANDIEGOZOO.ORG .

HAMADRYAS BABOON

eerkat

WEST AFRICAN DWARF CROCODILE

COQUEREL'S SIFAKA

leopard

african penguin

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 23

boon-like primate with a striking red hourglass shape

all, it might be necessary to look up, as they’re actually

on its chest. The brighter the red, the more sexually

known to climb trees.

desirable the monkey is judged to be by its peers.

At the base of the canyon is Cape Fynbos, a coastal

Continuing down along the path, we enter the Aca-

ecosystem populated by leopard sharks and African

cia Woodland next, where leopards prowl through the

penguins. Follow the ramp in the walkway down from

boughs and branches. The only big cats found in Afri-

here, and at the bottom, you’ll find some of the best

ca Rocks, they’re a delight to watch as they paw and

people watching the zoo has to offer. As visitors turn

chew at palm fronds left in the enclosure by keepers

the corner, expressions of astonishment and wonder

for enrichment. A cautious distance away lay the ver-

fill their faces when they first glimpse the underwater

vets—a species of matriarchal monkeys with black

view of the sharks lazily patrolling the enclosure, while

faces and human-like characteristics.

the swifter penguins gracefully frolic around them.

The Madagascar Forest habitat contains many of the animals recognizable from the popular Madagascar

(Worry for the penguins isn’t warranted, as the sharks only feed on crustaceans found on the seafloor.)

animated film franchise—particularly, several spe-

Africa Rocks isn’t the only improvement recently

cies of lemur, as well as their nemesis the fossa. The

unveiled by the Zoo: a new 450-foot-long bridge now

wily honey badger, of nature program (and viral video)

allows access to the Elephant Odyssey while avoiding

fame, can also be found lurking here.

a steep canyon ascent. Savvy visitors may notice that

The “rocks” in Africa Rocks isn’t merely an exclama-

if they look down as they pass over, they just might

tion worthy of fist-pumping bros: as each habitat tran-

catch a glimpse of one of the giant pandas without

sitions to another, geologic features representative of

having to brave the sometimes-substantial wait to get

each area are also depicted. The kopje, for instance,

through their exhibit below.

has (faux) granite outcrops, and the Cape Fynbos (more

Of course, many older areas of the zoo—built over

on this later) is strewn with large, rounded boulders

the years to replicate multi-species habitats—still re-

seemingly worn by waves and time.

main fan favorites. Lucky guests who venture to the

Another structural element is the main attraction in

Tiger Trail often find themselves face to face with these

the West African Forest area, where recirculated wa-

noble predators, separated only by a sheet of glass.

ter cascades 65 feet down Rady Falls. One particular

And at the Orangutan Trail, siamangs playfully romp

footpath that slips behind the waterfall, thus offering

among their more stoic orange cousins.

its pedestrians a slight shower, no doubt provides a

Now in operation for over a hundred years, the San

popular respite from the heat during summertime vis-

Diego Zoo has continued to change with the times, ever

its. The most peculiar animals this forest has to offer

endeavoring to create more natural, livable environ-

may be the West African dwarf crocodiles, which max

ments for its animals. But those efforts have not im-

out at about five feet in length. Though, to spy them

munized it from controversy—a vocal segment of an-

24 San Diego MA RCH 2018

MARCH EVENTS AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO { 3/10 } Spring Winemaker Dinner at Albert’s Restaurant { 3/11} Orchid Odyssey { 3/16 } Plant Day and Orchid Odyssey; Spring Event begins (through April 8)

imal lovers still believe that no creature should be kept

ego Zoo project that saved the California condor from the brink of

in captivity for the entertainment of humans. But oth-

extinction are funded by revenue generated from visitors. As zo-

ers point out that zoos help to educate and nurture the

ological parks continue to evolve and provide their charges with

next generation of environmental stewards, and that

more natural and enriching habitats, it’s clear that that evolution

some conservation success stories such as the San Di-

will continue to be led by the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

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IN

by ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE

DISTILLATE

O &RROLLED KEEF IN

26 San Diego MA RCH 2018

Why I FAILED my first CALIFORNIA ASSIGNMENT … and did we really burn on the bus with SEAN PAUL?

I haven’ t seen MY FRIEND SALLY (NAME CHANGED TO PROTECT A CANADIAN)

SINCE THE THANKSGIVING IN BOULDER BEFORE SHE MOVED BACK TO SAN DIEGO IN 2010. WE MEET ON A SATURDAY IN JANUARY AT OB NOODLE HOUSE IN OCEAN BEACH. I ROLLED INTO SAN DIEGO ON MY AIRSTREAM’S MAIDEN VOYAGE ABOUT A WEEK AGO, HERE TO OBSERVE AND PAR-

TAKE IN THIS HUGE NEW PART Y, TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE LEGAL CANNABIS SCENE IN CALIFORNIA TO WHAT WE’VE BUILT IN COLORADO.

CALIFORNIA

IS A LEGAL STATE!

BRING. IT. IT ON.

Four years ago, you could get beers at OB Noodle for

$1. Not anymore. Lunch is going to cost more than expected, but that’s on meme, pretty much how it’s gone since I crossed the border into California and started paying $1 more per gallon (or more) for gas. We order fried rice, chicken lettuce wraps, and $6 Goose Island IPAs that our server says come with a shot of peanut butter Jameson or a shot of sake. He recommends the peanut butter Jameson, a secret recipe, but whiskey worries me so I have sake. Sally has only the IPA because she’s the designated driver for our visit to Urbn Leaf, a cannabis store a half mile away, later this afternoon.

After lunch, we walk along Ocean Beach, enjoying sunshine and brisk breezes. People wrap themselves tightly in their sweaters and fleeces as they stare into what the radio announcer called sizable but trashy surf.

The pier is closed, and everyone we ask has a different reason why.

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 27

But how cool is this? We’re walking right toward a

Sean Paul on the Bus

big, gleaming black party bus that says Urbn Leaf!

The Urbn Leaf lady leans in and whispers, Sean Paul

The guy wearing a black golf shirt with Urbn Leaf

is on the bus. Oh, hey, I say. That’s all I’ve got. I’ve had

stitched on it says we can ride to the store for free and

a lot of churro. I want to see if it’s really Sean Paul, if

smoke whatever we buy during the ride back to OB.

I’d even know, but I don’t want to look like a groupie.

It’s a miracle! We just have to remember where we

I’m dancing in my seat. I try not to do that again.

parked, Sally says.

Churros on the Bus

We pull up to Urbn Leaf’s superstore. It looks massive. That might be the churro working.

A hellacious line snakes out from the front doors,

We get on and take seats in the back with two other

down the sidewalk, into the parking lot. People wait,

ladies who seem not too sure but not too worried about

used to this, a part of the California lifestyle, like every-

this. The one with the pink weave looks up from her

thing being expensive and the freeway turning into a

phone and smiles when Sally makes a few moves on

parking lot, and the Maps lady saying traffic is getting

the stripper pole.

heavier but you are still on the fastest route. Which is

We wait a while. An entourage boards and fills up the

always the goddamn freeway.

front. Suddenly the bus is busy, loud, and we’re taking

People here need cannabis like they need the free-

off. A guy is walking up and down the aisle taking videos.

ways. Waiting in this line, with sour-lemon faces, is a

A young woman wearing an Urbn Leaf t-shirt is passing

price they pay to live in a legal state with palm trees.

A HEL L AC I O U S L I N E S N A K E S O U T F R O M T H E F R O N T D O O R S , D OW N T H E S I D E WA L K , I N TO T H E PA R K I N G L OT. P E O P L E WA I T, U S E D TO T HIS, A PART OF THE CALIFORNIA LIFEST YLE, L I K E E V ERY T H I N G B E I N G E X P E N S I V E A N D T HE FREEWAY TURNING IN TO A PARKING LOT. around something called a churro, an Urbn Leaf specialty, 3.5 grams of flower dipped in distillate and rolled in keef (we’re pretty sure there’s another step involved, but neither Sally or I can remember later). The churro is the fattest blunt I’ve ever seen, with a plastic mouthpiece so it smokes low and slow.

It’s tasty. I take hits every time she brings it around.

Feeling Sad at the Feel Good Drug Boutique Maybe we get to skip that line because we’re with Sean Paul, I say to Sally and the other ladies.

And we do! The bus handlers lead us to a side door.

We got on the right bus! Then Sean Paul and his people are gone, and so is our Fastpass.

Sally doesn’t, because she’ll be the driver again after

The bus handlers drop us at the first in a long row

this bus ride is over, and she’s nervous. The bus isn’t

of check-in booths. Sally won’t submit her ID for reg-

going to the address Maps gave us for Urbn Leaf.

istry, but I give mine up and then beg my friend to sit

I think there’s more than one Urbn Leaf, I try to re-

with me in the waiting room. I’m a little too churroed

assure her, but she’s afraid that being on a cannabis

to be alone in that bright space full of unhappy people

registry could jeopardize her Canadian citizenship,

flipping through magazines, staring at their phones

which is pretty crazy considering that Canada’s legal-

and out the glass walls into the parking lot.

izing, but this is the world we live in. She doesn’t want anything to mess with that citizenship—and who would, given this world we live in?

A couple sits, arms crossed, under the words “A Feel Good Drug Boutique” painted on the wall.

No one except me has had any feel-good drugs recently, it seems. I’m out of my homegrown-in-Colorado element. The churro keeps on giving.

28 San Diego MA RCH 2018

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 29

The security guy opens the door to the inner boutique and says the next four people can go in. Six people rush the door. After sharp words, two sit back down.

perience my first legal purchase, I bust out the door hoping to avoid anyone from the bus.

The lovely young woman with the churro is right

I catch a glimpse inside, lines of people zigzagging

there, of course, waiting to see what we bought for the

like DIA security or Disneyland during spring break.

ride home. We tell her we didn’t buy anything. I feel

No one looks excited like my relatives from the Mid-

bad, after that ride with Sean Paul and all.

west when they buy legal cannabis in Colorado. People have their because-the-freeway’s-stuck-for-whateverfucking-reason faces on.

In the waiting room, everyone’s grabbing the next

I tell her I couldn’t do that last line. She seems annoyed as we slink away to grab an Uber.

Do you think we should tell her she oversampled me? I ask Sally.

seat over. A lady from the check-in kiosks slides into

I think she got that, Sally says.

the chair to my left. I think that’s supposed to be my

Do you think that was really Sean Paul? I say.

chair, but I’m pretty happy where I am, and I never liked musical chairs anyway. I tell her she should buy a chur-

Happy on the Trolley

ro when she gets inside. She’s not interested in chat-

We have rollicking fun telling our driver Kris about

ting, which is a relief because I’m not quite sure what

people standing in line for legal weed like it’s Space

else I might say.

Mountain or merging onto the I-5 at 5. We pass the bus

I want to buy a churro to take home, but I might not have enough cash. In Colorado, $100 is a pretty safe

as it rolls toward the beach to pick up another load of people to stand in line at Urbn Leaf.

bet, but California is a whole new expensive world. I’m

Kris drops us off at the People’s Coop, where we buy

worried I haven’t accounted for the headline-making

carob macaroons. The churro keeps on giving as we

California cannabis taxes.

walk on the reopened pier, watch the sunset, then

I keep wanting to call this the Happy Place Drug Boutique, I tell Sally. But look at everyone.

huddle under heaters to eat tacos on the patio at Carnitas’ Snack Shack. The day feels magical.

The joyless couple under the words glares at me,

The good vibes linger, even during my trolley ride

and that cracks me up. This is the most hilarious scene

home—perhaps the day’s biggest miracle because

ever. I start laughing and laugh like I haven’t laughed

no one’s ever happy on the trolley.

since I tried to hang on the porch at the after-party for

I do wish I’d bought a churro. I imagine slowly puff-

a psychedelic conference in Vancouver. (I definitely

ing it with friends over a long, lingering evening, in a

need to get out of Colorado more.)

safe place, away from people who haven’t had their

We have to get out of here.

Let’s get an Uber, I say to Sally.

Couldn’t Do That Last Line This is how I fail at my first attempt to report on adult use in California.

Instead of entering the third inner chamber to ex30 San Diego MA RCH 2018

feel-good medicine.

I think I’ll go back to Urbn Leaf and buy a few churros after the newly legal crowds have died down— and we know in Colorado that they do, at least until 4/20 rolls around.

Oh, but wait. Did I learn nothing from this escapade?

This is California. Colorado rules don’t apply.

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 31

{soSD}

by BOBBY BL ACK

FIELDS

color of

SMELL THAT? Spring is in the air, and nowhere in SoCal is that more evident than in the Northern San Diego County town of Carlsbad, where the famous Flowers Fields have begun to bloom. This fabulous floral phenomenon dates back nearly 100 years: in the early 1920’s, horticulturist Luther Gage—an early settler of the area—planted his land with ranunculus flowers using seeds he’d bought from Europe. A member of the buttercup family initially discovered in Asia Minor, the ranunculus flower had previously produced only two colors of petals—red and yellow. But after years of selective breeding by Gage and his neighbor Edwin Frazee, with whom he shared the seeds—they eventually produced a heartier strain of the flower (that Gage dubbed the Giant Tecolote Ranunculus) with around

thirteen different colors variations.

When he moved away in 1965, Frazee brought the seeds with him to the current property, which he rented from fellow flower farmer Paul Ecke Jr. These two friends are the ones responsible for creating the fifty-odd acres of gorgeous gardens we see at Carlsbad Ranch today. (In fact, the property is still owned

by Ecke’s descendants.) The Ranch offers loads of family-friendly events and activities, the most popular of which seem to be the antique tractor rides, which take you on a guided tour of the grounds.

If you’re a lover of nature, the Flower Fields are indeed a sight worth seeing. But don’t put it off—these beauties are only in bloom from March 1 until May 11.

— BOBBY BLACK

THE FLOWER FIELDS AT CARLSBAD RANCH { When } March 1 – May 14, 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. daily { Where} 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad { Cost} Adult– $14 // Seniors (60+)– $13 Children (3-10) // $7 and Babies (2 and under) free 32 San Diego MA RCH 2018

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ADVOCACY.

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COMMUNITY. sensimag.com MARCH 2018 3

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