Sensi Magazine - Emerald Triangle (February 2020)

I EMERALD TRIANGLE F E B 2020

CULTIVATING

COMMUNITY Preserving a legacy with social innovation and sustainability ›››

OVER THE RAINBOW How vibrant hues can

conquer the winter blues

COLIVING Find friendship and

save money in shared living spaces

CDPH-10003459

EMERALD TRIANGLE SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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F E AT U R E S

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Leading with Heart

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In Living Color

Social and generational knowledge creates sustainable business practices.

Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel.

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

to keep you in the loop WINTER WINES Vintages to stay cozy on cold nights PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT Leef Organics CBD Balm HIGH PROFILE The lowdown on life coaching GUESS WHO’S BACK ’90s fashion trends are making a resurgence.

18 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness ROOM WITH A FEW Coliving spaces offer an all-in-one solution to skyrocketing housing prices and the loneliness epidemic.

36 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town

FISHING THE COLD WATERS

Steelhead are the ultimate prize for anglers willing to rise to the challenge.

NEW LOOKS IN LEWISTON

A historic hotel reopens under family ownership.

CALENDAR February is on fire with Marbles, Marley, Mr. Humboldt, and more.

50 THE END

Local painter Bianca Lago captures the sweetness of everyday life on the hill.

ON THE COVER Sunshine Johnston of Sunboldt Farms PHOTO BY WAFFLE HOWSE

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D

Boldtbags Hash Making Supplies Coldwell Banker Sellers, Sandi DeLuca Real Estate Canna-Envy DIY Cannabis Genius Products T, Inc. Recreational Cannabis Products Heartwood Mountain Sanctuary Eco-Retreat Center Hendrx Farms Cannabis Nursery Humboldt Patient Resource Center Dispensary

Southern Humboldt Business & Visitors Bureau Tourism Sunnabis Regenerative Cannabis Farming ULEVA Hemp Products Wana Brands Edible Gummies

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb CEO ron@sensimag.com

Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com

Tae Darnell Co-Founder, VP of Business Development tae@sensimag.com Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Nora Mounce Managing Editor nora.mounce@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com

Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief

Sean Jansen, Nicole Riggs, Drew Stofflet Contributing Writers DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak, Kiara Lopez, Josh Clark, Jason Jones Design em@sensimag.com PUBLISHING Lelehnia DuBois Publisher lelehnia.dubois@sensimag.com Daniel Bridge Associate Publisher daniel.bridge@sensimag.com Shannon Golightly Associate Publisher shannon.golightly@sensimag.com Tad Sarvinski Associate Publisher tad.sarvinski@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com

Musings on love have

never been straightforward.

From the beginning, Adam and Eve botched things royally (so the story goes), and the fallout of feelings have continued to vex mankind ever since. We sympathize—really, we do. But whether 2020 has you singing “Love stinks!” or signing your name with x’s and o’s, February gets more interesting when we imagine love beyond the romantic foibles.

The first decade of the 21st century ushered in a new culture of love-meets-capitalism, smacking lovey-dovey expressions across the commodified marketplace. From breakfast cereal to bamboo undies, industrial products promise to be “Made with Love” and marketing execs spread heart-forward messaging at every opportunity. While a Valentine’s Day grinch might be skeptical, “heart-forward” business practices are gaining market value in the climate-crisis era. What do these claims actually mean in practice?

Staying in tune with the source and footprint of the thousands of consumer goods we use daily is a grueling task. Is it local? Sustainable? Certified organic? After operating for decades in the shadows of regulation, the cannabis industry has been shot straight into the green heart of consumer culture wars. No decision should be taken lightly as the world watches to see if cannabis can meet higher standards in sustainable business.

As we move forward in the climate-crisis era, are we asking too much for love to be packaged and delivered with a kiss with every purchase? What if we flip the script and task the public with making more loving choices and living by a transparent set of values that prioritize community resilience, eco-conscious living, and yes, L-O-V-E? Warning: This may not involve chocolate or flowers.

This February, we take a deep dive into our region’s history, learning how industry leaders are keeping the Emerald Triangle legacy alive. Looking for love in your business or home life?

Think outside the heart-shaped box and reconsider roommates, a life coach, and the uplifting power of color therapy. Finally, get inspired to explore the Emerald Triangle’s diorama of rivers and redwoods, regardless of the winter weather.

What if we flip the script and task the public with making more loving choices and living by a transparent set of values that prioritize community, resilience, eco-conscious living, and yes, L-O-V-E?

With love + luck!

Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Nora Mounce nora.mounce@sensimag.com F EBRUARY 2020

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CONTRIBUTORS

Dawn Garcia, Nora Mounce, Drew Stofflet

Winter Wines to Warm Mind & Body The rain and fog have set in across the Emerald Triangle. Stoke the fire and break out a bottle of your favorite Mendocino County wine.

Fel Winery started in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley as Breggo Cellars before relocating production facilities to Sonoma and rebranding. The Fel Anderson Valley 2017 Chardonnay ($32) is the winery’s crown jewel, packed with citrus, crisp apple, melon, 10 E M ERAL D TR IA NG LE

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pear, and herbal spice. It makes a fine complement to seasonal crab dishes. felwines.com Boonville Road Wines is an emerging small production effort from Ukiah barbecue specialist and Rhône wine lover Ed Donovan. The Boonville Road 2016

Syrah ($32) is sourced from the Broken Leg Vineyard, the only vineyard site planted to Syrah in the Anderson Valley. It exhibits a brooding, rustic French style with bright red fruit, wild mushrooms, leather, spice, and a delicate acidity that evolves as you sip and

BY THE NUMBERS

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INCHES enjoy. Try pairing it with a slow-braised winter stew. boonvilleroad.com Zinfandel is a warming winter wine if ever there was one. The Lula Cellars Mendocino Ridge “Fashauer Vineyard” 2017 Zinfandel ($37) is Lula’s first release from Fashauer, a high elevation, coastal site that faces south for maximum sun exposure. Due to temperature inversion, warm nights create the necessary conditions for full ripening. In the bottle, vibrancy meets focused fruit-forward style, sweet oak, and a long, supple finish. lulacellars.com

The length of each wriggling fat innkeeper worm, a.k.a. penis fish, that washed up on Northern California beaches by the thousands last December after a ferocious winter storm SOURCE: theguardian.com

250K MILLION ROSES

The number of the ubiquitous red flowers sold each year in the United States in honor of Valentineʼs Day

“We all have more power

than we realize.”

—Beyoncé, on elle.com

Leef Organics Revive CBD Balm

Packed with complementary botanicals like calendula, lavender, and peony, Leef Organics Revive CBD Balm is a mini spa day in a jar. Designed to penetrate the skin to deliver cannabinoids to sore muscles and achy joints, Revive CBD Balm is rendered by slowly simmering whole hemp flowers to maximize medicinal benefits. Without any detectable THC, the healing and aromatic balm can be purchased at stores, spas, and yoga studios throughout California. leeforganics.com / $30

Source: Society of American Florists

1,006

LICENSES The total number of cannabis cultivation licenses held in Humboldt County in 2019, the highest number of any county in the state SOURCE: Humboldt County Growers Association

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THE BUZZ

HIGH PROFILE

The Lowdown on Life Coaching When it comes to living your best life, life coaches are trained to help you find the answers that lie within.

“Hiring a life coach is really deciding to invest in a powerful, intimate, and intentional relationship with someone whose sole purpose is to bring massive transformation to your life.”

—Sarah Trapkus

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“When I announced to friends that I was becoming a life coach, they laughed and said, ʻYouʼve always been a life coach,ʼ” remembers Sarah Trapkus. After a lifetime of helping others, Trapkus has transformed a winning personality trait into a profession. As a certified life coach based in Humboldt County, Trapkus focuses on supporting working moms (like herself) by consulting with clients and leading a free group series called “The Meaningful Life” at the Humboldt Patient Resource Center in Eureka (theconnectionhprc.com).

While sitting down with a therapist might be a common play for those struggling with self-identity or anxiety, life coaches still largely exist on the margins of the wellness menu.

This is something Trapkus would like to see shift. As a life coach, she helps clients identify self-limiting thoughts or beliefs that may be keeping them from reaching goals and living their best lives. “Goals arenʼt just destinaF EBRUARY 2020

tions to be mapped out and conquered,” explains Trapkus. “A huge part of reaching goals is realizing what youʼre capable of achieving and working from the inside out.”

When Trapkus started her business, she focused on helping women transition from the illicit market into the legal cannabis industry. “I was that woman,” she says. She and her husband went through the compliance process in 2016, a stressful journey during which Trapkus often relied on life coaching principles to survive. Today, her husband runs their business while Trapkus focuses on coaching.

As a mother of three, Trapkus personally knows the struggles of juggling motherhood and a career, especially in the Emerald Triangle, where so many women are entrepreneurs and solo business owners. “It can be overwhelming,” Trapkus says.

But she patiently reminds her clients that time, energy, and money are all created by the mind and everyone

has the power to choose whatʼs most essential to them.

“My clients are high achieving, brilliant women whoʼre balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship,” Trapkus says. For days when it feels like the wheels are coming off, Trapkus educates her clients on tactical approaches to address the root of their problems and use their own abilities to get back on the road. This helps her clients “step more fully into the person theyʼve always imagined being.” @sarahtrapkuslifecoach @sarahtrapkus

THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: What’s your love language?

SHANNON BETTIS

WENDY KORNBERG

KATHLEEN BRYSON

SANDRA CASTANEDA

JENNIFER METZ

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___________________

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Pilates Instructor Eureka

When I look into my rescue dog’s eyes—animals have taught me so much about how to give and receive love.

CEO and Cultivation Consultant, Briceland

Nonjudgment and diversity through community action and service.

Attorney Eureka

Patient and Caregiver Lake County

Standing up for others to Being in the sun, growgive them a voice. ing, touching, smelling, and smoking cannabis helps people heal and creates love.

Business Owner Eureka

Quality time! Acts of service!

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

Nirvana Smiley Shirt $25 / hottopic.com Adidas Track Jacket $80 / macys.com

1 PRIMARY FOCUS A New Hampshire law requires the Granite

Scrunchies / $12 per set urbanoutfitters.com

State to be the first presidential primary in the nation. This election cycle, that goes down on February 11, after which my home state becomes irrelevant for another four years.

Cruise Deluxe Turntable $74 / crosleyradio.com

2 LEAP OF FAITH While the calendar year is 365 days, it takes the Earth 365.24 days to orbit the sun. Every four years, we add an extra day to the month of February because without it, the calendar would be misaligned with the seasons by 25 days after just 100 years.

3 BORN THIS WAY The odds of being a “leapling”—a person born on a leap day—is 1 in 1,461.

4 RIGHT ON On February 29, some places celebrate Bachelor’s Day or Sadie Hawkins Day—both a nod to the old Irish tradition that gave women the right to propose marriage to a man on leap day. If he declined, he was required by law to pay a penalty, often in the form of gloves so she could hide the shame of her bare ring finger.

5 MODERN LOVE Since we’re not all Irish, but we are all feminists (because we all believe in the equality of the sexes, of course), any of us can propose to whomever our heart desires whenever we want.

Except Valentine’s Day. There’s no law prohibiting it but, sweetie, payas-you-go forced romance is anything but romantic.

6 PETA VIOLATION The origins of the canned-love holiday are as cruel as a red rose delivery in February is clichéd. According to NPR, V-day traces back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a brutal fete during which naked men sacrificed dogs and goats—and whipped women with the animal hides. Stop, in the name of love.

“I want to be a part of the change. It’s important that creatives of all races, if they have an opportunity or platform, use it to make room for other people.”

—Zendaya, on allure.com

PARTY LIKE

IT’S 1999

Old school becomes new again.

With the nostalgia of the ʼ90s revival including the comeback of scrunchies, old school hip-hop parties, cartoon reboots, grunge fashion, army pants, vinyl records, and the Friends craze ever present, why not celebrate like itʼs Y2K? The ʼ90s were the era when grunge was born; punk rock got a resurgence; indie music fests took off; personal style was nonconformist; music was insanely good, angsty, dance-worthy, and impactful (Nirvana, Beastie Boys, Tupac, N.W.A., Pearl Jam, Screaming Trees, Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, and so many more); and the teens and twentysomethings finally felt like their voices were being heard.

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Active interim permits with Humboldt County on two parcels totaling 28,550 square feet of cultivation. Over 400 acres,13,850 of outdoor and 14,700 of mixed light. Huge flat, close to paved road and permitted well. Call for price

Humboldt & State approved indoor. 5000 sq ft.

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Large flat, 2 homes, pond, on grid power approved Humboldt County cultivation permits under 1.0 for outdoor, mixed light and indoor. Zoning is agriculture and this property may be a suitable location for the RRR program or expansion under 2.0. Call for current pricing

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Room with a Few

Coliving is taking off because it addresses two of our most important social challenges: affordable housing and the loneliness epidemic.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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After an artistic breakdown (complete with tequila), serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti cleared out of his townhouse in Venice Beach and hit the road. He spent a year and a half visiting clients, friends, and family, which was fun, but he eventually got pretty tired of Motel 6s. When a business opportunity came up in Denver, Masitti figured he could handle making a six-month commitment to a living space.

A 350-square-foot micro-studio in Turntable Studios, a former hotel next to Mile High Stadium, felt comfortingly familiar and provided what he was looking for—affordability and a downtown view—as well as something he had no idea he needed.

After he moved in, Masitti started noticing groups of people hanging out and drinking wine in front of the building every evening around 5 p.m. “I was like, oh, fuck yeah,” he says. “Being somebody who works from home, I’m like, this is amazing.

I don’t have to leave or set up happy hour with friends. It’s almost like a Hotel California.”

Masitti is now part of a 20-something-strong community at Turntable that not only meets

“I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen an organically grown community like this.”

—Mario Masitti

every evening for happy hour but also regularly sits down to share dinners and conversation, sometimes accompanied by a guitar or two, and casually keeps track of one another’s activities and well-being. An introvert at heart, Masitti loves this fluidity. Even when he’s not feeling hugely social, he can pop outside or upstairs to the community room for quick visits.

“I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen a place with an organically grown community like this,” Masitti says.

“Usually, you just kind

of keep your eyes to the ground. The pool is always empty. No one uses the amenities. This place is the opposite.”

The camaraderie has been the balm Masitti’s road-weary soul needed.

“Even my mom’s like, ‘You’re so happy again!’” he says.

“Friends Are Included” Loneliness is a killer, more dangerous than obesity and smoking. Studies have found it leads to heart disease, stroke, and immune system problems, and it could even impair cancer recovery. A researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark

Serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti

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THE LIFE

found loneliness a strong predictor of premature death, declining mental health, and lower quality of life in cardiovascular patients, and a Brigham Young University professor’s meta-analysis of studies from around the world found that socially isolated adults have a 50 percent greater risk of dying from any cause than people who have community.

That’s sobering, especially when you consider that 40 percent of American adults suffer from loneliness, according to an AARP study. And it’s one reason coliving—a new form of housing in which residents with similar interests, values, or intentions share living space, costs, and amenities—is exploding.

Coliving situations run a spectrum, from the resident-driven Turntable model to small homes with a half-dozen or so people to massive corporate complexes like The Col-

“You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city. When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.” —Christine McDannell, Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life

lective tower with 550 beds in London. Residents, who stay anywhere from a few days to several years and usually don’t have to sign a lease or pay a security deposit, sleep in their own small private rooms (sometimes with bathrooms) and share common spaces such as large kitchens and dining areas, gardens, and work areas.

They’re encouraged to interact with one another, often through organized happy hours and brunches. Ollie, which operates coliving spaces in New York and other cities, advertises that “friends are included.”

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention,” says Christine McDannell, who lived in unincorporated coliving houses for years before she launched Kindred Quarters, a coliving operator with homes in San Diego and Los Angeles, in 2017.

Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life, McDannell also runs Kndrd, a software company for coliving managers and residents, and she hosts the weekly Coliving Code

Show every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes, Soundcloud, and coliving. tv. She has watched— and helped—the industry grow up, and she’s amazed at how few, if any, horror stories she hears.

That’s largely because millennials—by far the largest demographic among colivers—are accustomed to sharing and being held accountable through online reviews, she adds.

“You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city,” she says.

“When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.”

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Nearly a third of American adults live with roommates.

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

From Hacker Houses to Golden Girls As companies fat with funding expand into cities across the globe, coliving is newly corporatized— but it’s hardly a novel concept. Boarding houses provided rooms and shared meals for single men and women in the 19th and early 20th centuries; one of the most famous, the Barbizon Hotel in New York, was a “club residence for professional women” from 1927 until the 1980s.

People lived communally throughout most of history until industrialization facilitated privatization of family life and housing throughout the 20th century—with a few disrupF EBRUARY 2020

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Where everything is done with heart With such a large selection of products, and so many ways to save, it's a perfect one-stop-shop for all your cannabis needs, and wants to treat yourself or your signiďŹ cant other for a feel-good Valentine's Day!

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Visit us at 601 I St. Arcata, CA., we welcome patients, customers, and pets with an open heart and an open mind!

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THE LIFE

LEARN MORE

Find information, news, and guidance on all things coliving at thecolivingcode.com.

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space.

It’s done with more intention.”

—Christine McDannell

FOURʼS COMPANY Almost half of Gen Zers think itʼs reasonable for four or more people to share a two-bedroom apartment, and 30 percent would move in with roommates they didnʼt know.

SOURCE: Credit Karma

tions. In Israel, people have been living in communal villages called kibbutzim for more than 100 years. In the US, hippies attempted to create communes in the 1960s, but they were destroyed by free love, drugs, and egos (which did a lot to discourage coliving, even today).

At the same time in Denmark, however, cohousing (an earlier iteration of coliving) was emerging as a way to share childcare. Today, more than 700 communities thrive in Denmark. In Sweden, the government provides cohousing facilities.

A handful of cohousing communities following the Danish model have been established in the US, and hacker houses

are common in tech capitals like Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, but the concept has been slow to catch on until recently.

As it becomes increasingly impossible for mere mortals to afford skyrocketing rents in desirable cities, Americans are coming around to coliving and finding creative solutions to all sorts of social issues. Older women are shacking up together following the Golden Girls model. Coabode.org matches single moms who want to raise kids together. At Hope Meadows in Chicago, retirees live with foster kids.

The opportunity to pay lower rent (in many but not all cases) and share expenses makes all the difference in places like

New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles.

When New York–based coliving operator Common opened a development with 24 furnished spaces in Los Angeles for between $1,300 and $1,800 a month, more than 9,000 people applied.

McDannell says coliving is exploding because it solves important challenges that plague modern society. “People are signing away their paychecks on rent and feeling increasingly isolated,” she wrote in “Why We’re Building a CoLiving Community Ecosystem” on LinkedIn. “It is due time that HaaS (Housing as a Service) disrupts the antiquated industry of property management and real estate.”

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LEADING with Heart Social innovation and generational knowledge continue to push sustainable models of business and cultivation forward in a fast-paced California cannabis market.

R

umor has it that Bigfoot first appeared in Humboldt County in the 1950s.

Locals continue to report sightings in some of the most remote corners of the region, but last March, Bigfoot strolled right onto the Eureka waterfront. Surrounded by children and a group of giant

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banana slugs, Bigfoot looked out across the Humboldt Bay before plunging into the icy waters. The kids squealed with delight.

Community, sustainability, and a resilient mindset run as deep as the rivers in the Emerald Triangle. They are the offspring of an independent culture that grew from tribes living in tune with nature,

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crusty gold prospectors, tough lumberjacks, self-reliant ranchers, and free-thinking hippies who call this region their home.

“It’s about community,” says Jon O’Connor, chief compliance officer at Papa & Barkley, a cannabis wellness company based in Eureka. O’Connor and his team donned the banana slug

costumes and sponsored the Bigfoot sighting as part of the Discovery Museum’s “Perilous Plunge,” an annual fundraiser for the Redwood Discovery Museum. A beloved local event, participating teams are required to raise money for the museum by jumping into the icy Humboldt Bay. In 2019, the Papa & Barkley team raised $2,780.

PHOTO BY WAFFLE HOWSE

TEXT NICOLE RIGGS

Sunshine Johnston is a second-generation Southern Humboldt farmer raised on the earthfirst values of back to the landers. Today, she is a leader in sustainable cultivation methods at her licensed full-sun farm, Sunboldt Grown.

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“Cultivating Well Being Since 1999”

Voted Best Dispensary in Humboldt County!

Now with 2 Locations!

HPRC Arcata 980 6th St. Arcata, CA

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118155

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C-10-0000409-LIC | C-12-0000231-LIC

PHOTO (FAR LEFT) BY NORA MOUNCE / OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAPA & BARKLEY

For O’Connor, Papa & Barkley’s commitment to the area is a source of pride. In 2019, the company donated more than $25,000 to local Humboldt County nonprofit organizations like the Kinetic Grand Championship, Sequoia Park Zoo, and the Ink People Center for the Arts.

Since Papa & Barkley planted its roots in Humboldt in 2017, the company has created more than 100 jobs in the region and offers starting wages of $15 per hour, full health-care benefits, and a 401K plan. The company heavily promotes internal recruitment and more than a third of its workforce is on management track. In its procurement practices, the company prioritizes sourcing premium cannabis from local farmers first.

is imperative more than ever. In this landscape, the legalization of cannabis comes with a set of challenges for the small independent farmers in the Emerald Triangle.

In spite of a (growing) heavy tax burden and a litany of regulations to follow, licensed businesses and cultivators have the chance to set new standards for sustainability in agriculture and industry.

Karen Hessler and her husband moved to southern Humboldt’s Mattole Valley in 1971. “We wanted to be self-sufficient and lead a life of simplicity. We did subsistence farming; it was not about making a lot of money,” Karen says. Today, the couple runs Amaranth Farms, which took third place at the 2019 Emerald Cup for its CBD flower. Hessler feels confident that Amaranth, as a Sustainability and Simplicity small family farm with a focus on Humboldt County has always had a genetic research, is doing the right spirit of solidarity. In today’s world thing to help people. of intensifying global problems, “There’s a legacy to draw on in finding new ways to live together the Emerald Triangle,” says Domi-

Employees at Eurekaʼs Papa & Barkley facility fill and label products.

nic Corva, co-director at the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HiiMR) at Humboldt State University.

“Many farmers here come from back-to-the-lander families. Children internalize those values.”

One such farmer is Sunshine Johnston, the owner of Sunboldt Grown in Holmes Flat. “There’s a right way and a wrong way,” says Johnston, who uses dry-farming techniques at Sunboldt. “The right way is about the long term.” She hopes that home-grower culture continues to thrive and that the Emerald Triangle’s community of medicine makers are recognized in the new legal marketplace.

The back-to-the-landers who started growing cannabis in the Emerald Triangle in the 1960s were striving to create another way of living together—a utopia.

Because cannabis was illegal, growers had to create value outside of mainstream society to sustain themselves. They built schools and community centers and fire stations. They held potlucks and music festivals. They got to know the land and the seasons and explored ecology and sustainability long before it became a hot topic. Because cannabis could be a psychoactive substance, it nourished people’s ability to imagine another world.

“Cannabis is a powerful spirit,” says Lorelie Sandomeno whose farm, Sunrise Mountain Farms, is located in northeast Humboldt County. “It gives the gift of presence. It creates feelings of deeper connection.”

Today, forward-thinking cannabis farmers focus on the plant and its ecosystem. Wendy Kornberg is the owner at Sunnabis Farm in

Papa & Barkley co-founder Guy Rocourt dons a banana slug costume as part of the annual Perilous Plunge. The team raised $2,780 at last year's event.

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flordevida artisanal california cannabis Handcrafted in Humboldt County

Pure Mountain Water Brilliant Sunshine Organically Crafted Soil & most importantly—Love

IG @flordevidagardens I info@flordevida.com #PAL19-0000683

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in recent years to keep operations afloat due to the economic downturn begotten by legalization.

In Humboldt County’s barn-raising spirit, the cannabis manufacturing company Bear Extraction House launched Project Humboldt Thrive, naming the Mateel as one of the recipients.

When farmers who work with Bear donate to Project Humboldt Thrive, Bear Extraction matches every donation.

“It’s important to put our energy into our missions and values.

It’s not just about profit,” says Bear’s Stacia Eliason.

In addition to the Mateel, Project Humboldt Thrive supports the Eel River Recovery Project, which Energizing the Mission works to improve the health of ChiDance and music have been taking nook salmon runs in the mighty Eel place at the Mateel Community River. As the largest Pacific salmon Center in Redway for more than 40 species, Chinook salmon grow to years. Built in 1988, the communi- be three feet long and some even ty center has garnered internation- reach more than five feet and more al recognition for its multicultural than 100 pounds. Years of induslineup of musicians and legendary trial mining, logging, and illegal cultivation have led to the Chinook’s Reggae festival. With its economstatus as a threatened species unic health tied to the cannabis inder the Endangered Species Act. dustry, the Mateel has struggled Southern Humboldt, where her family grows cannabis organically and with minimal water use. “I imagine myself as a weed plant,” says Kornberg. “I hear birds, nature, the sounds of children. This is where I want to be.”

Over the years, environmental degradation by growers abusing the land and the system became rampant. But today, legalization has ushered in the highest standards of farm management practices. To succeed in the competitive marketplace, Emerald Triangle cannabis operators draw on the values of sustainability and community that legacy farmers established generations before them.

For cannabis farmers in the Emerald Triangle today, the health of our rivers is symbolic of the health of the community.

Kyle Preciado grew up in the Emerald Triangle’s cannabis culture and today is a founding member of Humboldt Homegrown, a network of cannabis growers united under one collective brand. Preciado points out that on average, 90 percent of legal cannabis markets are controlled by less than 10 companies nationwide. Preciado wants to do things differently.

“We believe that if we model our business from the laws of nature, maintain the values set by the plant and agreed upon by the group, we can build an ecosystem sustainable for all involved,” Preciado says. “We want to uphold our regional reputation as the best cannabis producers in the world.”

Giving back to the community and the environment through social innovation were values born and upheld long before legalization. Today, the Emerald Triangle cannabis industry continues to carry the torch.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicole Riggs is the founder of Manifesto Synergies and chief marketing officer at Humboldt Community Business Development Center.

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IN LIVING C LOR Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel is what you are.

TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

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umans have used color to express ideas and emotion for thousands of years, according to color specialist and trend forecaster Leatrice Eisman.

As executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Eisman is the world’s leading authority on the topic of color, authoring many books on the subject. In The

Complete Color Harmony, Eisman describes how even the most subtle nuances in color can result in shades that excite or calm, pacify or energize, and even suggest strength or vulnerability. “They can nurture you with their warmth, soothe you with their quiet coolness, and heighten your awareness of the world around you.

Color enriches our universe and our perception of it,” she writes.

According to her research, we all respond to color at a very visceral level, associating specific hues with another time or place. “Color invariably conveys moods that attach themselves to human feelings or reactions,” she notes. “Part of our psychic develop-

ment, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning that we either inherently sense or have learned by association and/or conditioning, which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.”

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Year, which the institute has named annually for more than two decades, gaining more attention and having more impact with each passing declaration. So this year, expect to see a lot of blue.

The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is known as Classic Blue.

Describing the shade as “evocative of the nighttime sky,” Eisman explains the choice: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.”

She contends that Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious, expand our thinking, open the flow of communication. Her comments are rooted in color theory, which says that a good part of the emotions that colors evoke is tied to natural phenomena. Classic Blue is the color of outer space (look beyond), of the celestial sky (look beyond), of the deep ocean (open the flow).

“Part of our psychic development, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect.

Every color has meaning… which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.”

—Leatrice Eisman in The Complete Color Harmony

One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from German poet and politician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His 1820 book Theory of Colours explored the psychological impact of colors on mood and emotion.

Yellow, Goethe wrote, is the color nearest the light, yet when applied to dull, coarse surfaces, it is no longer filled with its signature energy.

“By a slight and scarcely perceptible change, the beautiful impression of fire and gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul; and the colour of honour and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion.”

Of red: “All that we have said of yellow is applicable here, in a higher degree.” Goethe’s theories continue to intrigue, possibly because of the

lyrical prose rather than its scientific facts.

Today, it’s generally accepted that shades of blue are associated with steady dependability, calm, and serenity.

Yellow evokes the color of the sun, associated with warmth and joy.

Green connects with nature, health, and revival. White stands for simplicity; black for sophistication.

A 1970s study on the body’s physiological responses to colors revealed that warm hues (red, orange, yellow— the colors of the sun) aroused people troubled with depression and increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive folks. Cool colors (green, blue, violet) elicited the reverse, but the important finding was

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that all colors produced clinically tangible results.

It’s not woo-woo science; humans have been using color as medicine, a practice known as chromotherapy, since ancient Egypt. In fact, chromotherapy is as tested a practice as any other alternative medicine— Ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology. While it is widely accepted that color affects one’s health—physically, mentally, emotionally—more studies are needed to determine the full scope of impact as well as its potential to help heal.

This isn’t a new theory, either. In the late 1800s, rays of color/light were shown to affect the blood stream. Later research found color to be “a complete therapeutic system for 123 major illnesses,” according to a

critical analysis of chromotherapy published in 2005 by Oxford University Press.

Today, bright white, full-spectrum light is being used in the treatment of cancers, seasonal affective disorder, anorexia, bulimia, insomnia, jet lag, alcohol and drug addiction, and more.

Blue light is used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Red light helps with cancer and constipation. And that’s just the beginning.

sions that include color wheels. Colored crystal lights. Breathing in colors through meditation.

Infrared saunas with chromotherapy add-ons.

There are actually many ways of adjusting the color in your life, and not all of them require a trip to see a specialist.

Unlike trying to self-administer acupuncture (don’t do that), techniques can be as simple as putting on colorful attire or getting some bright throw pillows or plants. You can never On the Bright Side have too many plants.

When your physical And you should eat more landscape is devoid of plants, too, filling your bright, vibrant hues, your plate with healthful emotional one is affectfruits, vegetables, and ed as well. That’s where spices from every part of color therapy comes in. the spectrum.

It has a deep effect on If a lack of sunlight physical, psychological, has you feeling a lack of and emotional aspects of joy, paint your home or our lives, and it comes office—warm, vibrant in many forms: light ses- yellows and oranges showcase excitement and warmth; browns and neutrals decidedly do not. Choose wisely.

Painting not an option?

Consider temporary wallpaper or hanging large artworks. On a budget? Head to the thrift shop and repurpose an old canvas by painting it white and then adding whatever hues you are vibing with this winter. If it doesn’t turn out well, cover it up with more white paint and start

again. Have fun with it, consider it art therapy.

There are also an array of therapeutic options popping up as add-ons, as wellness studios, spas, and alternative medicine practices incorporate chromotherapy treatments into their offerings. Many infrared saunas are starting to offer chromotherapy benefits, and the combination of the full-light spectrum and the heat effectively tricks the brain into thinking it spent a full day basking in the sun, causing it to release those sweet endorphins that flood your body when the warm rays of spring hit your face when you step outside. It feels good And really, that is everything. Color is everything.

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Casting for Nature’s Survivors On the North Coast, Steelhead are the ultimate prize for anglers willing to rise to the challenge.

TEXT SEAN JANSEN

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PHOTOS BY SEAN JANSEN

The rain never seems to let up. The wet forecast is endless, and the ground moisture sneaks into your boots with every step. The trees continually drip with dew like a spring with an endless reserve. It’s no coincidence. The Emerald Triangle is geographically perched where the ocean meets the mountains.

Tectonic plates continually shift and change the landscape like every wave that crashes on the shore, moving sand to its place like an artist with his paintbrush. With blue squiggly lines, the artist connects the mountains to the sea, representing the most erosive force on the planet and one of the greatest natural spectacles on Earth: the life cycle of salmon.

Pacific salmon are born in the rivers of the North Coast before charging their way to spawning grounds upstream. When salmon are mature enough, they swim west to the sea and fatten up. There, salmon live most of their lives in saltwater until they are ready to spawn, returning to the same river where they were born to die, leaving behind their bodies as nutrients for the trees and surrounding environment.

On the contrary, steelhead are a variety of rainbow trout, much like the ones we catch in lakes, rivers, and streams. But unlike those rainbow trout, steelhead also make a migration to the sea like their salmon cousins.

Steelhead consume diverse nutrients from the ocean, allowing them to reach a size and strength comparable to salmon.

They also return to fresh water, but unlike salmon, steelhead don’t die immediately after their pilgrimage. They either return to the sea again or remain in the river, making them the ultimate prize for the coastal angler. As the North Coast boasts dozens of world-class rivers and streams, all of which are home to steelhead and salmon, the region is a drool-worthy location for any fly-fisher.

Beyond the steep investment needed to purchase gear, a California fishing license and a special steelhead report card are required to

legally fish. There is also a litany of regulations to follow depending on which body of water an angler wants to fish.

While accessibility to steelhead is prime on the North Coast, it doesn’t make the endeavor of landing a steelhead an easy one. They are considered one of the hardest fish to catch on a fly. It takes outrageous perseverance and grit to withstand winter coastal storms while patiently waiting to nab a steelhead—it feels like a lightning bolt striking the end of a line. By the time an angler hooks a steelhead, the fish has dodged every predator in the ocean, including seals, sharks, whales, and squid.

Setting foot in these rivers is to witness the power of nature while having a conversation with one of its enduring survivors. It’s hard to imagine a creature with more tenacity and strength than the steelhead. Their story and their home are what make swinging flies for steelhead the ultimate prize. With the fog threading the trees, the cool turquoise water lapping up against your legs, and the redwoods towering overhead, chasing these ghost-like fish is a challenge and joy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sean Jansen is a freelance photojournalist based in Humboldt County. He specializes in capturing the spirit of outdoor adventure on and off land in hopes of inspiring others to enjoy nature in Humboldt County and beyond.

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Elevate. Pamper. Rejuvenate.

Flamingo Resort SONOMA COUNTY

THE SCENE GRAND REOPENING

Fresh Looks in Lewiston A historic hotel and restaurant reopens under family ownership.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LEWISTON HOTEL

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Like writing a novel or opening a wine bar, running an inn is a quotidian American dream that only gets interesting when someone signs on the dotted line. With 10 years of hospitality experience under their belts, Kyle and Katie Cox made the fantasy a reality when they purchased the historic Lewiston Hotel Bar & Grill, in partnership with Katie’s parents, Mike and Maggie Graham. Looking

for an escape from the daily grind in San Jose, Mike took a drive up to Trinity County to check out a friend’s old hotel for sale. “No way,” he reported back to the family, after observing how much work the place needed. But they couldn’t stop talking about it—memories of the emerald-green Trinity River and peaceful mountain town were unforgettable.

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Photographer @jade.turgel.photography

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Product collaboration with @highrizeca

THE SCENE

GO THERE

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LEWISTON HOTEL

Lewiston Hotel 125 Deadwood Rd., Lewiston lewistonhotelca.com @lewistonhotelca

dreams, purchasing the historic Lewiston Hotel, established in 1863. After a year of renovations, the Lewiston Hotel Bar & Grill reopened as a community outpost just in time for the 2019 season.

“We made the menu more casual than it’s been in the past,” says Katie, whose husband is the head chef. “Economics have changed in the area, and we want to cater to local families.”

Only 30 miles west of Redding and a 15-minute

GRAND REOPENING

drive from Weaverville, the restaurant draws local patrons on weekends as a date night destination with live music and dining al fresco. Situated above

the restaurant are six “Old West” style rooms, which Katie describes as rustic and unique accommodations with two shared bathrooms for all guests.

Rooms start at $85 a night.

While Katie says they experienced a degree of culture shock on relocating to rural Trinity County from San Jose, she and her family are hooked on the abundance of the scenic beauty and recreational activities. “I love being able to go swimming in the lake or hiking in the

Trinity Alps,” Katie says.

A stand-by with local anglers and rafters resting up after a day on the water, the hotel stays busy in the winter with steelhead fishing and whitewater boating season. Though Lewiston Lake is located just a few miles down the road, nearby Trinity Lake is more popular with sunbathers and swimmers come the triple-digit days of summer.

“We plan on being here for years to come,” Cox says.

Wedding guests dine al fresco next to the Trinity River at the Lewiston Hotel.

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CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

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On the Calendar February is like a hot tamale: fiery, memorable, and quick!

Get out on the town for a jam-packed month of creative and entertaining activities throughout the Emerald Triangle. Along with world-class performers, arts and crafts, and reggae, February is bookended by two iconic events. During the Humboldt Marble Weekend, hunt for glass marbles in the redwoods and learn from master glassblowers from all over the world. To wrap up the month (it’s a leap year!), make sure to snag tickets to the sixth annual Mr. Humboldt Pageant, the ultimate contest in smoldering lumber-sexual hotness. As you slingshot those panties on stage for your favorite bro, remember, it’s all for charity folks.

Feb. 1, 8 p.m.

Fulkerson Recital hall at HSU, Arcata $66 centerarts.humboldt.edu

Bali-born jazz piano wunderkind Joey Alexander is on a meteoric rise and, at 16, has already earned a Grammy Award nomination for his debut album, My Favorite Things.

Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24, 9:30 p.m.

Ocean Grove Lodge, Trinidad Reggae/dancehall night @OceanGroveLodge

Black Uhuru

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Joey Alexander Trio

Rude Lion Sound’s Dancehall Mondays

Arts Alive Eureka Feb. 1, 6–9 p.m.

Monthly Arts Walk, Old Town eurekamainstreet.org

Ryan Goodcase Feb. 1, 9–11 p.m.

Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com

Crab Feast Feb. 1–2 Various locations, Mendocino County visitmendocino.com

Feb. 4, 10 p.m.

Humboldt Brews, Arcata $30 humbrews.com

Minnesota Exit/ Reality Tour with Thelem, EastGhost, and Thook Feb. 5, Doors open at 8 p.m.

Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata $20–$25 arcatatheatre.com

Inked Hearts Tattoo Expo Feb. 6–9, 11 a.m. –10 p.m.

Blue Lake Casino & Hotel, Blue Lake $10–$30 inkedheartstattooexpo.com

The expo is hosted

by Ted and Amy Marks of NorCal Tattoo, with featured artists Liz Cook, Tye Harris, and Joshua Carlton. More than 30 incredible artists will be tattooing on-site.

Iris DeMent Feb. 6, 7:30–10 p.m.

The Old Steeple, Ferndale $45–$50 ferndalemusiccompany.com

Humboldt Hardcourt Bike Polo Feb. 2, 9, 16 & 23 Community Park, Manila @HumboldtBikePolo

Yes, it’s just like traditional polo but on wheels instead of horses. Players use a street hockey ball and mallets, and your feet can’t touch the ground.

Beginners and women encouraged! Helmets are mandatory (spare helmets and gear like mallets are available for loan).

sands of collectors for a weekend celebration of contemporary marbles and marble hunting.

Bob Marley Birthday Celebration

Humboldt Marble Weekend Feb. 6–9 Redwood Acres, Eureka humboldtmarbleweekend.com

Humboldt Marble Weekend brings together dozens of artists and thou-

Feb. 6, 8:30 p.m. –12 a.m.

Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata $25–$30 arcatatheatre.com

Andrew Holmgren Feb. 7, 9–11 p.m.

Savage Henry Comedy Club, Eureka $10 savagehenrymagazine.com

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Gyppo Beer Pairing Dinner Feb. 7 Gyppo Ale Mill, Shelter Cove gyppo.com

Chef Robert Mason and Head Brewer Jared Smith join forces for a fourcourse beer pairing dinner.

falsetto) voices, have made him a musical legend.

Dweezil Zappa Feb. 9, 8 p.m.

Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $55–$85 centerarts.humboldt.edu

Ekali: A World Away Tour Feb. 12, 8:30 p.m.

Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata arcatatheatre.com

Arts! Arcata Feb. 14, 6–9 p.m.

Monthly Art Walk, Arcata arcatamainstreet.com

Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Still Life Painting Workshop with Jim McVicker Feb. 7–9, 9 a.m. –4 p.m.

Redwood Art Association, Eureka $425–$475 redwoodart.us

Led Kaapana Feb. 8, 7:30–10 p.m.

The Old Steeple, Ferndale $25–$30 ferndalemusiccompany.com

Feb. 15, 8 p.m.

Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $49 centerarts.humboldt.edu

favorite contributor to NPR’s This American Life and a regular at The New Yorker, his latest book Calypso was released in 2018.

Feb. 16, 7 p.m.

Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $66 centerarts.humboldt.edu

One of America’s wittiest, most Led Kaapana’s irreverent voices mastery of stringed and the author of instruments, the best-sellers Me particularly slack Talk Pretty One key guitar, and Day and Naked, his extraordinary David Sedaris is baritone and leo an undisputed ki`eki`e (Hawaiian master of satire. A

Feb. 29, 7 p.m.

Arcata Theatre Lounge, Arcata @MrHumboldt

Stomp Feb. 18, 7 p.m.

Van Duzer Theatre at HSU, Arcata $66 centerarts.humboldt.edu

Craft Night: Mosaic Mirrors Feb. 20, 6 p.m.

Arts & Drafts, Eureka $45 artsanddraftseureka.com

Craft a unique mirror choosing from the studio’s hundreds of different tiles and stones—or bring your own. RSVP to save your spot.

Lion Dance David Sedaris

Mr. Humboldt Pageant #6

Feb. 22, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.

Joss House State Historic Park, Weaverville Free parks.ca.gov

Celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Chinese Taoist Temple. It’s the year of the Metal Rat!

Hayfork Rotary Prime & Prawns Dinner Feb. 22 Trinity County Fairgrounds, Hayfork trinitycountyfair.com

Anderson Valley White Wine Festival Feb. 22–23 Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Boonville $50–$135 avwines.com

With traditional categories of Q&A, swimwear, a very special talent portion, and formalwear, this wild and wacky fundraiser is one of the premier nights of the year.

Come holler for your favorite contestant and see how comedy can bend in so many gender-centric ways.

All proceeds go back to the community to help support amazing nonprofits.

Experience a 40-year tradition of celebrating Alsace-style and white wines.

Kat Edmonson Feb. 29, 8 p.m.

Fulkerson Recital Hall at HSU, Arcata $49 centerarts.humboldt.edu

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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E GENIUS PRODUCTS

Genius Cannabis Here’s how to find the right fit for the right customer.

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s matchmakers around the world say, “There’s a lid for every pot.” That’s true even in cannabis.

The fast-growing industry has said goodbye to the days of marijuana as a blanket term for whatever ended up in the bottom of a plastic baggie and is becoming a forward-thinking industry. Cannabis brands can more clearly identify who their customers are and exactly what they want. At the forefront of this new focus on targeted marketing is Genius Products, the Los Angeles–based parent company producing cannabis-based brands that appeal to every segment of the cannabis market.

“The next phase of cannabis growth mirrors the culinary world,” says Chris Clifford, CEO of Genius Products. “Everyone has their own tastes, and our goal is to make the right products for

every flavor of cannabis consumer.”

It’s the same approach that beer giants like Anheuser-Busch, InBev, and SABMiller take: find your customer by tailoring brands to specific identities.

To that end, Genius Products has a range of brands focused on THC, CBD, and natural hemp. Gen!us THC, its first foray into the market, launched last spring at Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa, California. The brand’s tagline is “Strains for Brains,” and it caters to the creative professional by using high art collaborations with cannabis-inspired photographers Maggie West and Justin Jerrod. The idea behind Gen!us THC is that there’s a genius inside everyone. Its THC products are geared toward unlocking this potential. The goal is to connect with agency creative directors, writers, executives, and other professionals who incorporate cannabis into their lives as

a healing mechanism without letting it interfere with their work.

“We want to provide a level of sophistication with our products,” says Clifford. The look and feel of Gen!us THC aligns with that goal. Packaging comes in bright, Instagram-friendly colors, and the products themselves range from flower and pre-rolls to vape cartridges and disposable vape pens.

The plan is to launch additional brands later this summer, with a focus on reaching the natural wellness market. That includes casual consumers looking to introduce CBD products such as skin care into their daily routines and debuting multiple entries into the food and beverage space.

At Genius Products, the secret sauce is more than just creating new brands to target different customer segments.

Instead of cobbling together a supplier network, the company is truly vertically integrated, overseeing the entire product lifecycle from seed to shelf. It grows its own cannabis and hemp on organic farms that are committed to sustainability. It has dedicated design teams dreaming up new product lines, and Genius opened its first two brickand-mortar dispensaries in Los Angeles last summer to be one-stop shops for Genius Products.

“I think the best way to find success with any product is to try to impact the entire process from start to finish,” says Clifford. Genius Products will launch more brands in the cannabis market. With Genius Products, seed to shelf is the company ethos, and it’s all about finding the right seeds for the right shelves.

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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E H U M B O L D T VA P E T E C H

Discretion Delivered Humbolt Vape Tech offers innovative cannabis concentrates and vape pens for all.

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umboldt Vape Tech is a small family-owned business in Eureka, the capital seat of Humboldt County. Vic Arvizu founded the company in 2016 to innovate portable and discreet ways to use cannabis concentrates.

Arvizu lived in Humboldt County for many years before he started using cannabis. Like many others, he turned to cannabis therapy for health solutions while suffering from phantom limb pain following the loss of his leg.

Cannabis helped alleviate Arvizu’s pain and discomfort.

Once he tried using concentrates, Arvizu quickly noticed some of the drawbacks associated with dabbing concentrates, such as the impracticality and danger of propane torches and e-nails. He started exploring the world of vape technology and found room for improvement there as well.

During the time Arvizu was doing market research, most of the vape pens on the market were based on the e-cigarette model, which Arvizu didn’t find suitable for dabbing due to waste and poor design. He worked with designers to create a new type of “hex” coil with a much larger surface area

that would work better for concentrates. Arvizu continued working with manufacturers to bring high-quality products to market, and Humboldt Vape Tech was born.

The first Humboldt Vape Tech design was the “Sai,” followed by a bigger and better second generation model known as the “Sequoia.” The “Poseidon” is an attachment that holds water and turns the vape pen into a portable bubbler. As these innovative products began to have success in the industry, they inspired other companies to produce gray market copies.

Humboldt Vape Tech stands apart from its imitators with its commitment to high quality products, which the company backs up with a lifetime guarantee and a 14-day no-questions-asked return policy. Dedicated customer support is a major part of the company’s philosophy and Arvizu personally answers his phone at all hours of the day.

Anyone looking for a convenient way to enjoy concentrates on the go can find Humboldt Vape Tech products in smoke shops and dispensaries across the country.

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THE END

MORE FROM THE ARTIST

Bianca Lago biancalagoart.wixsite.com/website @biancalagoart

Hill Dog A local painter captures the sweetness of everyday life on the hill.

From the time she could hold a paintbrush, Bianca Lago was an artist.

As a teenager in Atlanta, Lago helped her mother paint murals and attended an alternative high school with a focus on the arts. Never losing her fascination with visual communication, Lago landed in Northern California to earn her BFA at Humboldt State University. For the past few years, Lago has largely supported herself through art sales and commissions, on such works as “Rebekah’s Dog.” She recently left the green cathedral of the Emerald Triangle for the thriving Bay Area art scene.

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my mind,” Lago says.

“My work will only be as good as the experiences I expose myself to, so I try to say ‘yes’ to as much as I can and make sense of life through careful visual representation.”

Lago painted “Rebekah’s Dog” from a photograph of a loyal pit bull sitting in a greenhouse filled with plants. The final painting, oil on canvas, knowingly captures a sweet

nostalgia for life behind the redwood curtain.

“We are all so close from floating away from everything we know,” Lago says. “I want to capture that feeling of barely holding on.”

CANVAS PAINTING BY BIANCA LAGO

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