Sensi New England Magazine - December 2020 - Boston

LET IT GROW

Hardy houseplants for winter

IT’S A WRAP!

Our exclusive 2020 gift guide

NEW ENGLAND DECEMBER 2020

’TIS THE SEASON Give back to 10 area nonprofits

THE WILD AZZIE

Foraging in the mushroom mecca

experience wellness elevated.

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e r a u q S l a tr n e C IT’S GREAT TO BE PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Revolutionary Clinics is thrilled to be serving patients at 541 Massachusetts Avenue. Situated in the heart of the Central Square cultural district, this spacious shop features the highest quality cannabis along with a team of people who are passionate about connecting you with the products and delivery methods best suited for your needs.

So stop by, say hello and enjoy the convenience of Central’s Square’s first and only cannabis clinic.

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MURAL BY FELIPE ORTIZ Please Consume Responsibly. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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

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FLOWER | EDIBLES | DROPPERS | TINCTURES | CONCENTRATES Please Consume Responsibly. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug; for use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. The impairment effects of Edible Marijuana Products may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 911. This product may be illegal outside of MA.

NEW ENGLAND SENSI MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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FEATURES

25

It’s a Wrap!

42

Foraging for Magic

Stumped this season? Crack open our exclusive gift guide and break off some holiday cheer for you and yours.

Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroom-hunting capital of the Pacific Northwest

DEPARTMENTS

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 50 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip hangouts around town 10 THE BUZZ THE SEASON FOR GIVING News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop STRESS RELIEF Bostonbased Colette matches women with CBD.

These local nonprofits need your support.

CALENDAR Live and virtual events to celebrate the season safely

SEASON’S GREETINGS

Boston holiday cards TOY STORIES The Ver-

mont Toy Museum

GREEN PAPERS Eco-

friendly wrappings GOING GLOBAL Maine nonprofit Chance to Advance’s 2021 calendar

60 THE END Robert Frost Farm in Derry, New Hampshire

ON THE COVER

Make the days a little brighter this holiday season by supporting local charities.

PHOTO BY TUNG, ADOBE STOCK

16 THE LIFE Contributing to your

health and happiness WINTER BE GONE Hardy houseplants give your home an island vibe.

HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

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ADVISORY BOARD

The Botanist Cannabis Education Corners Packaging Packaging Curaleaf Veterans Cannabis Project Flourish Software Seed to Sale Green Goddess Supply Personal Homegrown Biochamber Green Matters LLC/MariMed Inc. Supply Chain GreenHouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing The Holistic Center Medical Marijuana Evaluations The Leaf Collaborative Education Mayflower Medicinals Online Reservations PotGuide Travel & Tourism Revolutionary Clinics Medical Dispensary Royal Gold Soil Tess Woods Public Relations Public Relations MEDIA PARTNERS

Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder, CEO ron@sensimag.com Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com Fran Heitkamp Chief Operating Officer fran@sensimag.com Lou Ferris VP of Global Revenue lou@sensimag.com Chris Foltz Director of Global Reach chris@sensimag.com Jade Kolb Director of Project Management jade.kolb@sensimag.com Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Emilie-Noelle Provost Managing Editor emilie.provost@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief Diane Blackford, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN/PRODUCTION

Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak, Josh Clark Designers Neil Willis Production Director neil.willis@sensimag.com PUBLISHING

Richard Guerra Market Director richard.guerra@sensimag.com Jenna Scandone Media Sales Executive jenna.scandone@sensimag.com

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PUBLIC

RELATIONS CANNABIS 8

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TessWoodsPR.com

T

EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly

by Sensi Media Group LLC.

© 2020 Sensi Media Group. All rights reserved.

The late November sky

is the color of wood smoke,

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as I sit at my desk writing this editor’s note. It’s been raining on and off for a day or two, and all the trees are bare except for a few stubborn leaves still clinging to our red oak. This is what late fall looks like in New England. And yet, part of me still feels like it’s early March, the time when the COVID-19 pandemic struck and life as all of us knew it changed, possibly for good. Thinking back, I’m not sure where the months went. In many ways, 2020 feels like it was one long day.

The theme for this issue is “present,” which makes sense if you consider the upcoming holidays (check out the gift guide beginning on page 25 for some great ideas). Present also means “existing or occurring now.” According to Wikipedia, the present is a period of time between the past and future. It can refer to a fleeting moment, a day, or longer.

It reminds me that I’ve spent many days over the last year wishing I were living in a different time, so much so that I often failed to notice what was going on around me—or what the sky looks like. No matter what 2021 has in store, I’ve decided to make an effort to be present, because, in the words of author Crystal Woods, “Time flies, whether you’re wasting it or not.”

One thing all of us can do to be more present is to give something back to our communities. Our feature on local charities highlights several organizations that are hard at work trying to make the world a cleaner, safer, more joyful place. I hope you will be inspired to contribute to a charity, help a neighbor shovel their front steps, or send flowers to a friend. If we all give a little bit of ourselves back to the world, being present in it won’t be so hard.

I’ve spent my days over the last year wishing I were living in a different time, so much so that I often failed to notice what was going on around me— or what the sky looks like.

Joyeuses fêtes,

Emilie-Noelle Provost @Emilie_Noelle

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Girl Power + Plant Power The holiday season can be stressful, especially for busy women.

Whether you’re looking for a thoughtful gift for a special woman in your life or just a little something for yourself, Colette, an online CBD product retailer based in Boston, offers curated “Colette Kits” to help remove the guesswork from your holiday shopping. Just fill out the form on the website and you’ll receive recom10

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mendations for six lotions, balms, tinctures, tasty treats, and beauty products targeting everything from fatigue and insomnia to post-partum depression, hot flashes, PMS, and menstrual pain. All Colette Kits come in an elegant box and include a journal to help you keep track of your experience.

If you already know what you’re looking for, Colette also offers premade kits targeting sleep,

beauty, pain, and stress. Products such as CBD-infused chocolates, dermal patches, facial masks, lip balm, candles, and herbal teas are available for purchase à la carte.

Women-owned companies make more than 85 percent of the products Colette sells. All products are made using hemp and CBD oil that’s sustainably grown in the United States. getcolette.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLETTE

Boston-based Colette matches women with high-quality CBD products.

CONTRIBUTORS

Emilie-Noelle Provost, Stephanie Wilson

GOING GLOBAL

This Pine Tree State calendar will spruce up your refrigerator door.

Maine nonprofit Chance to Advance, in partnership with the Catholic Charities Office of Maine Refugee Services, has released its annual “Celebrate Diversity in Maine” wall calendar for 2021. The calendar features photos of Maine immigrants, shares their stories, and highlights the achievements of this resilient and remarkable group of people. All profits from the sale of the $25 calendars will be added to a scholarship fund benefiting first-generation refugee youths who choose to attend college in Maine. A calendar release party is planned for December 18 in Portland.

1777

The year a German POW, captured at the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War, set up America’s first indoor Christmas tree in Windsor Locks, Connecticut SOURCE: newengland.com

chancetoadvanceme.org

5

SHILLINGS

PHOTOS (FROM LEFT): COURTESY OF CHANCE TO ADVANCE / BY MARSHA YORK / BY N. SAMUEL VOKEY

Beacon Hill Christmas

by Marsha York

BY THE NUMBERS

The fee a New England colonist would be fined for wishing someone a “Merry Christmas” after the holiday was outlawed by the Puritans in 1659 SOURCE: Mental Floss

6-10 YEARS The average time it takes for a seedling to grow into a mature Christmas tree SOURCE: University of Illinois Extension

Back Bay Winter Twilight

by N. Samuel Vokey

Seasons Greetings from Boston

If you’re hoping to support local businesses with your holiday purchases this year, the Boston Collection holiday cards from Massachusetts Bay Trading Co. should be on your list. With more than 30 original designs by local artists and photographers, the frame-worthy cards are printed on recycled acid-free paper and are guaranteed not to yellow or curl over time. Choose from classic Boston scenes, including Copley Square, Beacon Hill, the Charles River, and the Zakim Bridge. $17–$20 for a box of 10 cards / massbaytrading.com

FOR IT IS IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE. —St. Francis of Assisi, 13th century Italian Catholic friar

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Cannabis + Holidays + Visiting In-laws = SHOP NOW

939 Boston Turnpike | Shrewsbury Open 7 days a week | 9am–9pm Order online Pick up in store shop.verilife.com

Please Consume Responsibly. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older or persons holding a patient registration card. Keep out of the reach of children. This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. The impairment effects of edible marijuana may be delayed by two hours or more.

In case of accidental ingestion, contact the poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. ©2020 PharmaCann Inc. All rights reserved.

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THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

MICHELLE XIARHOS CURRAN Journalist Newburyport, MA

___________________

The greatest gift I received was on Christmas Day 2005 when I learned the sex of our firstborn, kept in an envelope on the Christmas tree.

Question: What was the best gift you ever received?

CHARLIE CLARK

ERNIE GREENSLADE

GABBY DAVIS

MARIANNE GHIZZONI

Education Consultant Franklin, MA

Director of Public Relations Portsmouth, NH

Marketing Director Dracut, MA

Services Administrator Norwood, MA

___________________

___________________

___________________

___________________

My son gave me an ‘Ask Dad, He Knows’ sign like the one in the film It’s a Wonderful Life.

My favorite gift was a Jane Austen action figure from my son Ben when he was away for the summer while in high school. He knew I loved Jane Austen!

A pearl necklace from my first husband that will one day be passed on to his daughter. He passed away in 2013, and it really is one of the only gifts we have from him that remains.

When I was living in Los Angeles in 1999, my dad gave me a 5-quart stand mixer for Christmas. I still have it, but now I use it for mixing cookie and bread dough, not just for mixing boozy drinks.

TOY STORIES Feel like a kid again at this one-of-a-kind museum.

Located in Quechee, Vermont, the Vermont Toy Museum is home to more than 100,000 toys dating back to the 1800s. Toys on display are arranged by decade and include everything from antique cast-iron piggy banks to themed lunch boxes, Pez dispensers, dolls, board games, and Star Wars action figures. More contemporary toys such as Sponge Bob stuffies and My Little Pony figurines are also on exhibit. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Facial coverings are required for admission.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VERMONT TOY MUSEUM

vermonttoymuseum.com

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

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

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

THE BUZZ

BILITIES THAT’S A WRAP

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

1 THE MORE THE MERRIER One in three Americans now lives in a state where recreational cannabis is legal, thanks to voters in New Jersey, Arizona, Montana, and South Dakota supporting measures to legalize the plant for adult use.

Wrap festive packages with eco-friendly holiday ribbons and paper made from hemp and other renewable materials.

2 MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS Supporters of marijuana legalization in Arizona outraised and outspent opponents 10 to one leading up to Election Day. In New Jersey, that number was 99 to one.

3 THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION According to a new Gallup Poll released in November, 68 percent of Americans support cannabis legalization. That’s 5.5 times more support than five decades ago in 1969. If you’re a young adult American male with a college degree earning more than $100k, there’s at least a 74 percent chance you support legalization, according to the poll. If you’re Republican or attend religious services weekly, there’s a 52 percent chance you don’t.

4 MAGIC MONEY David Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps wrote checks totaling more than $6.4 million toward drug-war reform campaigns this year, thanks in part to COVID-19, which has the soap business booming.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WRAPPILY

5 TRIPPING OVER NOTHING Psychedelic mushrooms send the fewest people to the emergency room of any drug on the market, according to a massive report by the Global Drug Survey. Related: there are more than 100 varieties of psilocybin-producing mushrooms, aka “magic mushrooms,” aka the kind Oregon voters legalized in November’s election.

“I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.”

—Jewish Proverb

According to the Clean Air Council, approximately 30 million trees are used to manufacture the more than four million tons of holiday gift wrap Americans use each year. Fortunately, sustainable alternatives to traditional holiday paper, which usually can’t be recycled because it contains artificial dyes and additives, are becoming easier to find. Online retailer Wrappily specializes in making sustainable gift wrap from recycled newsprint with cheerful designs printed using soy-based ink. The company also makes eco-friendly cotton curling ribbon and biodegradable hemp twine in several jolly colors and patterns. wrappily.com

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PHOTO BY TONTECTONIX, ADOBE STOCK 16

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Containing the Tropics Baby it’s cold outside, but these easybreezy houseplants can add an instant island vibe to your home no matter what’s happening out there.

TEXT DIANE BLACKFORD

Your dreams for a ity in your place—and Caribbean getaway this trust me, your hair, skin, year get dashed by the sinuses, and more will pandemic and travel thank you for adding restrictions? more moisture to the air.

While it’s not quite My apartment’s large the same as frolicking southern-facing winon sugary soft beaches dows deserve a lot of flanked by palm trees credit for helping to and lapped by shimmer- transform an empty ing turquoise waters, apartment into a lush I’ve done my best to turn landscape, no doubt. But my apartment into a even if your place rarely tropical oasis with palm sees any direct sunlight trees and verdant foliat all, you too can grow age growing out of every some palm trees. available space. You can Everyone can be a do the same, and I high- tropical gardener, and ly encourage it. Plants thanks to the houseprovide oxygen, clean plant-crazed millennials the air, and are shown to demanding more—and elevate happiness. Not more exotic—greenery to mention if you get to grow in their homes, enough of them growing, it’s easier than ever to you’ll raise the humidcultivate a true island D EC E M B E R 2020

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THE LIFE

IMAGES VIA ADOBE STOCK

vibe indoors—even in the coldest of climates.

“It may be a little tricky at times, but adding that special warmth and color to your home definitely can be done,” confirms Andrea Haywood, a certified master gardener from South Florida.

While Jack Frost is not a friend to most greenery native to climates where temperatures hover above 75°F, we’ve rounded up some of the easiest tropical plants that you can grow indoors all year long. You can find these varieties and others like them at your local garden center, where the staff can help you pick out the right

type for your home’s light and offer tips to help you care for the tropical transplant. So

flowers makes the plant a superb conversation starter that adds a welcome burst of color to any household where it Bird of Paradise (above) blooms, which doesn’t happen without a ton This colorful plant species got its moniker from of natural sunlight. But its uncanny resemblance even without the nameto the feathered creature sake flower, the large plant adds a ton of tropwith the same name.

The unusual shape of its ical flair to any room, thanks to its glossy leaves fanning out. take your green thumbs out of your gloves and get growing on your own tropical paradise.

Bromeliad (left) There are over 3,000 species within this standout family of tropical plants. Most have bold leaves that are often colorful, but the most distinguishing characteristic of many bromeliads is an exotic flower spike. Given the long-lasting blooms and ornamental foliage, you may assume these are high-maintenance D EC E M B E R 2020

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EXPUNGEMENT IS NECESSARY! THERE ARE OVER 77 MILLION PEOPLE IMPACTED BY A BROKEN SYSTEM. NationalExpungementWeek.org | @expungementweek | #NEWeek2020

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THE LIFE

Dracaena Marginata (below) Often called the dragon tree, this spiky houseplant is native to Africa.

The tricolor cultivar, also known as the rainbow plant, adds an instant island vibe to any household with its pink, cream, and yellow stripes on narrow, green leaves.

houseplants, but you’d be mistaken. They tend to be among the easiest to grow, and you

can fi nd varieties in all shapes and sizes with different preferences for light and heat.

and well-drained soil to survive, and it needs lots of sunlight to bloom, which it can do from late spring through fall in the right conditions. You can find versions with flowers in a dizzying array of colors, making it easy to match your home’s color palette. If you don’t have bright, direct sunlight, don’t let that stop you Hibiscus (left) from adding this stunner Huge, dramatic blooms to your collection. Keep up to eight inches in it indoors during the windiameter add terrific ter then move it to the splashes of color (albeit balcony or porch when it short-lived) to this shrub. warms up outside to enIt needs plenty of water joy its seasonal blooms.

IMAGES VIA ADOBE STOCK

EDITOR’S CHOICE: PONYTAIL PALM The cascading curls flowing from the top of this plant just make it seem like all sorts of bubbly fun. It’s technically a succulent, not a palm tree, but we won’t tell if you don’t. A native of the dry desert states of eastern Mexico, it does well in low humidity, and its bulbous base stores water like a camel’s hump, making it a good choice for people who tend to neglect their plants.

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c

w

is

en

l l a w g o n m i l la love cann ab o h

CONNECT WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS IN CITIES AROUND THE GLOBE

TOKEATIVITY.COM/CONNECT

THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph has been an intuitive since 2002. She is an author, columnist, and host of Psychic View Radio. She created dicewisdom.com, which also has a smartphone app. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

DECEMBER HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

and see the bigger picture.

SAGITTARIUS People are turning to you for Each month, your cards the light and discipline of present a new adventure, your goals, which will ultiand this one will be connect- mately also benefit them. You ed with how you earn mon- are the beacon of your circle. ey. Someone is about to invite you in a new direction. FEB. 19–MAR. 20 It is totally worth exploring. PISCES Something planned will be deDEC. 22–JAN. 19 layed this month; don’t fight it.

CAPRICORN The delay will ultimately work You’ve been working hard, in your favor. Pay attention to spiritually and emotionalthe things you can resolve and ly. You are doing your best to find a creative distraction. keep your balance, while the influences around you seem MAR. 21–APR. 19 oblivious to kindness, ethics, ARIES and morality. Remember, you Do you live so well in your can only manage yourself— spiritual understanding that and you are being tested. you could explain your perspective to another? This is JAN. 20–FEB. 18 the month to fill your heart AQUARIUS with light and blessings.

Your biggest gift right now is Your example of living may your ability to stay focused heal or help someone.

NOV. 22–DEC. 21

APR. 20–MAY 20

TAURUS

Though it may not feel this way, the power of all things is available to you right now.

You have a network of enlightened people and spirits around you who are willing to help you get what you want. It’s okay to ask.

MAY 21–JUNE 20

GEMINI

Things will happen very quickly this month, and you will react quickly. Karma will address someone who has wronged you. Opportunity and/or focus are about to cross your radar.

JUNE 21–JULY 22

CANCER

Pay a little extra attention to the people you interact with.

You will find common ground

SAGITTARIUS, SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO INVITE YOU IN A NEW DIRECTION. IT IS TOTALLY WORTH EXPLORING.

and coincidental connections. It will also allow you a bonding opportunity for creating your network.

barrel. Now that your mojo is back, it’s time to sing their praises and maybe do your own version of Secret Santa.

JULY 23–AUG. 22

SEPT. 23–OCT. 22

It’s time to acknowledge and further develop your natural intuitive ability. It’s time to learn a simple way to focus on those who have doubted this ability. Clear your mind, imagine that all the flow of the universe is within you, and see what presents itself.

Recent events have placed you in a position of emotional conflict and imbalance. It’s the perfect foundation to determine what’s most important. You’ve found out where your heart is, so stay there.

LEO

LIBRA

OCT. 23–NOV. 21

SCORPIO

You are finally released from VIRGO what was working against Think of the people you you—and those “habits” would slay dragons for and around how you’ve regardeveryone who covered your ed situations or people. You butt when you were emoare still in the same position, tionally at the bottom of your but you have a clearer view.

AUG. 23–SEPT. 22

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Tetra Sunrise to Dusk Ashtray Handmade by Robbie Frankel of Balefire Glass $96 / shop-tetra.com Spark up any room with this art piece of an ashtray.

Jonathan Adler Druggist Weed Canister

Bruce Charles Designs Schulte Tops and Teak Wood Spin Base

$228 / jonathanadler.com $30 and up / brucecharlesdesigns.com

Neenineen Grenadine Bubbler

GRAV Clear Menorah $400 / grav.com

$120 / neenineen.com

Fringe Studio Ru Vive le FĂŠminisme Ceramic Mug $17 / fringestudio.com

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Primark Kimball Bar (Bong) Cart

FLYKR LYTR Fidget Spinner Case

$150 / primark.com

$10 / flkrlytr.com

My Bud Vase Stardust Water Pipe $200 / mybudvase.com The bong is long gone, replaced by beautifully crafted art pieces that combine fashion (it looks lovely in the most elegant of living rooms) and function (it’s still one effective cannabis delivery device). And, of course, when you are not using it, the pipe pulls double duty as a vase.

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Fear of God x Ermenegildo Zegna Joggers $620 / zenga.com

Grrrl Clothing Activewear $19 and up / grrrl.com

Vintage Redeux Mary Jane Smoking Robe $120 / vintageredeux.com

Patagonia Furry Friends Fleece Hoodie $55 / patagonia.com

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The perfect body is every body. Grrl Clothing celebrates all bodies with styles and fits for all shapes and definitions of beautiful.

This high-performance activewear will not only enhance your workout, but also make you proud of that body.

Prada Mini Bag Combat Boot $1,350 / prada.com Upgrade your strut and be prepared for anything with this combo hautecouture stomper and mini-purse that can handle serious urban use and ensure you won’t have to worry about checking or losing a bag with your valuables.

Nike Killshot 2 Leather Hunter Boots Original Golden Goose Men’s Shoe High Gloss Waterproof Superstar Sneaker

Ugg Scuffette Cosmos Slipper

Treasure & Bond Kids’ Faux Fur Slipper

$90 / nike.com

$99 / ugg.com

$25 / nordstrom.com

$150 / hunterboots.com

$560 / goldengoose.com

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Click & Grow The Smart Garden 3

Modern Sprout Smart Hydroplanter

$100 / clickandgrow.com

$160 / modsprout.com

Cult Furniture Hanging Lamp with Plant Pot $95 / cultfurniture.com

Gromeo Living Wall System $265 and up / habitathorticulture.com Simplify your living space and bring more lush green to those dull walls with these ingenious planters.

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NewMade LA Triangle Wall Planter

Modern Sprout Garden Jars

$38 / newmadela.com

$20 / modsprout.com

A Pot for Pot Marijuana Growing Kit $40 and up / apotforpot.com The ultimate DIY kit makes it simple to grow everyone’s favorite plant anywhere in your home.

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Larq Movement Self-Cleaning Water Bottle $78 / livelarq.com

Lexon Oblio Wireless Charger and UV Sanitizer $80 / lexon-design.com

Haute Diggity Dog Woof Clicquot RosĂŠ Dog Toy $16 / hautediggitydog.com

Medipop Portable UV LED Light Sterilizer $60 / medipop.us

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W&P Design The Margarita Virtual Happy Hour Cocktail Kit $24 / wandpdesign.com Bartender skills a bit iffy? Even the biggest bumbler can shake out a stiff drink like a pro with these nifty premade kits. Includes everything but the booze.

Art of Burning Man

By NK Guy $60 / taschen.com The Black Rock Desert may have been empty this year, but you can relive the ephemeral beauty of the burn with this gorgeous coffee table book.

Astrology

The Rihanna Book

By Andrea Richards Volume 2 of the Library of Esoterica series $40 / taschen.com

By Rihanna $150 / phaidon.com

The Cannabis Apothecary

By Laurie Wolf with Mary Wolf $35 / blackdogandleventhal.com

Food and Beverage Magazine’s Guide to Restaurant Success

By Michael Politz $30 / wiley.com

Matcha: A Lifestyle Guide

By Jessica Flint and Anna Kavaliunas $25 / goop.com

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CEO’S CHOICE

PuffCo Peak Pro $400 / puffco.com Welcome to sophisticated inhalation. This high-tech vaporizer elevated the art of dabbing, providing pure concentrate with each inhalation. It heats up in just 20 seconds and four heat modes help you dial in the right intensity for your mood.

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Saucey Tectonic9 Auto Dispensing Grinder $60 / sauceyextracts.com Simplify the all-to-often messy grinding process with this collab between Tectonic9 and Saucey Farms & Extracts that delivers perfect grinds in style.

Theragun Elite Percussive Therapy Device

Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

$399 / theragun.com

$300 / sony.com

Sonos Move Wireless Dyson Airwrap and Bluetooth Speaker Styler Complete $399 / sonos.com

$550 / dyson.com

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Impala Quad Skate Rollerskates

Crosley Mockingbird Bluetooth Radio

SMEG 50s Retro-Style Electric Kettle

Swan Retro Espresso Maker

Verve Culture Artisan Citrus Juicer

$95 / impalarollerskates.com

$97 / crosleyradio.com

$160 / smegusa.com

$135 / swan-brand.co.uk

$90 / verveculture.com

Lomo’Instant Automat Glass Assemble Configure Edition $189 / lomography.com Featuring work by UK artist Laura Slater, this instant camera has a 35mm f/4.5 wide-angle lens for shots that take in the whole scene.

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MyJane SheSurvival Box Hedger Humor Special Edition $59 / myjane.com

Bloom Farms CBD Sport Stick $55 / getbloomfarms.com

Because 2020 sucked so bad, girl, you need to laugh your way into the new year—and feel good too. Plus, each box contains a bracelet handcrafted by a survivor of human trafficking and proceeds support the cause of International Sanctuary in empowering women survivors in recovery.

Mello Bottoms CBD Suppositories

Goodekind 300mg CBG Topical Salve

MAC Viva Glam 26 Matte Lipstick

$60 for 2 / mellodaily.com

$35 / goodekind.com

$19 / maccosmetics.com

Dr. Barbara Sturm Repair Food Dietary Supplement

Beboe Therapies High-Potency CBD Sheet Masks

$70 / olivela.com

$78 for set of 5 / beboetherapies.com

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Wescott Mercantile Handcrafted Arlington Cambridge Belmont Coaster Set $55 / westcottmercantile.com Handmade from naturally absorbent sandstone by a small family business in Rhode Island, this four-coaster set makes a great gift for Cambridge-area locals and homesick expats. Slight variations may occur from one set to another due to their handcrafted nature.

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Harvey Traveler Nantucket Overnight Bag

Mr. Moxey’s Mints The Giving Mint

Wildwood Oyster Co. Nautical Rope Keychain

$199 / harveytraveler.com

$30 / mrmoxeys.com

$35 / wildwoodoysterco.com

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Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Ornament Collection $16 / gift.gardnermuseum.org Deck out your holiday tree with RBG, Paul Revere, or the Greek Gorgon Medusa. Other designs not shown include Jane Austen, Harriet Tubman, Mozart, and even Isabella Stewart Gardner herself. These handmade fabric ornaments are available for instore pickup at the museum, or you can have your purchase shipped anywhere in the world.

One Ocean One Love Hang Loose Hoodie $48 / oneoceanoneloeshop.com

Moon Bath: Sacred Smoke

The Man Behind the Maps

Smudge and Burn Blends $36 / moonbath.com

By legendary ski artist James Niehues $90 / jamesniehues.com

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Fighting for freedom is Join the revolution at norml.org

Stalking the wild Azzie in the mushroomhunting capital of the Pacific Northwest TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE PHOTOS LEAH D’AMBROSIO

FORAGING FOR

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T

he wind was blowing about 20 knots, pelting us with needles of mist, as we trudged through the dune grass with our eyes peeled. We weren’t focused, as you would expect, on the stunning shoreline and churning gray waves of Willapa Bay in our vista, but on the ground. We were looking for mushrooms—Psilocybe azurescens, to be exact.

I couldn’t believe my luck when Chef Sebastian Carosi, one of the first and finest farmto-fork pioneers and a virtuoso cannabis chef, offered to teach me how to stalk the wild Azzie.

“There really is no better experience with anything psilocybin-related than picking your own,” he told me when we met at the Everything Edibles virtual conference in October. “You can actually go find your own psilocybin in the wild, beyond a government-sanctioned organic label, and that in itself is part of the therapeutic effect.”

Carosi describes himself this way: “Imagine James Beard and Salvador Dali have a ’70s baby … raised by Alice Waters and Jack Kerouac … babysat by Jack Herer and Julia Child,” a chef who makes “organic, plant-heavy American truck-stop cuisine served on white tablecloths.” He’s a master forager and a heck of a lot of fun to hang out with, and the opportunity to learn the art of the hunt from him in the mushroom capital of the Pacific North-

west was far too good to pass up.

He didn’t have to ask twice.

On Election Day 2020, I wrapped myself in layers of North Face, laced up my Sorels, and joined Carosi; his wife, Carla Asquith; and my friend Leah D’Ambrosio (who organized the Everything Edibles conference)—along with dozens of other hunters who descend on Long Beach, Washington, every fall in cold, wet pursuit of the shroom. (In Long Beach, they say, first come the rains, then the Azzies, then the Winnebagos).

Long Beach is a 28-mile-long peninsula along the southwest coast of Washington where the

Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Warm and wet, it’s a forager’s paradise. The shores are rich with clams, oysters, and crab; wild berry bushes and dense mycelial mats cling to the sandy soil. James Beard made a home and restaurant here, and mycology guru Paul Stamets lives just up the road.

Fungi is plentiful, from beefy King Boletes, otherwise known as porcini—which you’ll pay a fortune for at the market, if you can find them—to crunchy, tasty Lactarius deliciosus. Amanita muscaria, or Fly Agaric, with its iconic red cap and white spots, makes for great pics but shouldn’t be eaten.

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But, let’s be honest, it’s the Azzies that draw the crowds. Long Beach is legendary for its bounty of the little shrooms, also known as flying saucers, beloved for being the most psilocybin-dense mushrooms on the planet. “Discovered” in 1979 by Boy Scouts camping near the mouth of the Columbia River, just over the bridge in Oregon, Azzies were formally named Psilocybe azurescens by none other than Stamets, whose son is named Azureus for the color of bruised psilocybin.

“Simply blowing on the fibrils of the stem of this purple-brown spored mushroom causes the fibrils to turn bluish with an azure color, hence its name,” Stamets writes on Instagram. “Psilocybin dephosphorylates into psilocin, then further degrades into an associated blue compound. The more bluish bruising, the more potent this mushroom once was.”

These are the mushrooms Stamets took Michael Pollan to find—likely in the very same spots we covered with Carosi—the ones Pollan wrote about tripping on in his best-selling book How to Change Your Mind. When you eat them, according to Psilopedia, a nonprofit educational center and encyclopedia, Azzies “produce intense visual hallucination, profound journeys into alternate realms of consciousness, and more rarely induce temporary paralysis.”

For Carosi, Azzies are good medicine. When he was 17, he was sentenced to seven years for a cannabis charge, and the mushrooms cut through his prison PTSD like nothing else. That he could return to prison for gath-

“PSYCHEDELICS ARE ILLEGAL NOT BECAUSE A LOVING GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED THAT YOU MAY JUMP OUT OF A THIRD-STORY WINDOW [BUT] BECAUSE THEY DISSOLVE OPINION STRUCTURES AND CULTURALLY LAIDDOWN MODELS OF BEHAVIOR…. THEY OPEN YOU UP TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG.” —Terence McKenna, ethnobotanist

ering his medicine was not lost on any of us as we searched for it during an Election Day he could not participate in. Picking Azzies is a Class A felony in the United States and the state of Washington. Under the 1971 US Controlled Substances Act, psilocybin and psilocin are listed alongside heroin as Schedule I drugs with a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

It’s hard to get my mind around this. In Denver, we voted to decriminalize psilocybin in 2019, and it seems like everyone’s casually doing mushrooms, in micro and macro doses. On the very day we went picking, voters in Oregon—a stone’s throw from Long Beach—opted to legalize therapeutic access to mushrooms and decriminalize all drugs. Mushrooms show extraordinary promise for many of the mental health issues that have intensified during the pandemic—particularly depression—and they’re losing their stigma under the gaze of celebrities like Pollan and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who donated $500,000 to Oregon’s decriminalization effort.

Still, we had to be aware. Rangers looking to harass dune-pickers patrol the state parks ringing Long Beach, and I couldn’t stop checking the horizon for them when I should have been scouring the thick wet grass for little caramel-colored, nippled caps with purple spores. That might be why we weren’t all that successful. Again and again, D’Ambrosio and I called out that we’d found a patch of Azzies, only to be told they were galerinas, poisonous mushrooms that look like Azzies

MUSHROOM MAGIC When you eat magic mushrooms, your body turns the psilocybin in them into psilocin, which binds with serotonin receptors in the brain that regulate cognition, memory, mood, and perception. Psilocin stimulates the visual cortex while muting the region of the brain responsible for our sense of self, or ego.

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but have rust brown spores and appear to be far more prevalent.

I’m not sure I ever got my “mushroom eyes,” and fear of arrest didn’t help my flow.

We—or really, Asquith—found a mere handful of Azzies. Late in the day, as the rain started coming down in relentless sheets, I was kneeling under a clump of shore pines when Asquith told me to look to my left. Two little brown mushrooms and a couple of pins (babies) were nestled together in a cluster in the grass. When I picked them—gently, so I wouldn’t damage the mycelium below—the white stems immediately turned blue in the palm of my hand.

It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough. We had an Instagram moment with the mushrooms. If we could have seen the sun, it would have been low in the sky. The rain had penetrated all our layers, even the waterproof ones.

We called it a day, a successful one, and headed back to town for much-needed cups of hot tea and bowls of clam chowder. Carosi surmised we may have been about five days too early for the best pickings, and that was fine. We experienced the thrill of finding our own medicine—just enough of a taste to make me want to try again next year.

The good news is, I might not have to deal with the nagging fear of breaking a law (even one I believe is unjust and stupid) that haunted my first hunt. On November 4, the day after Oregon voters decriminalized possession of small amounts of drugs, activists launched the Treatment and Recovery Act to do the same thing in Washington in 2021.

TIPS FOR HAPPY HUNTING • WEAR SEVERAL LAYERS of warm, waterproof clothes. Good gear makes for good days.

• BRING A POCKET KNIFE to get a clean cut of the mushrooms at the base (though it’s possible to pick them by hand) and a mesh bag or basket that allows the mushroom spores to fall to the ground and repopulate as you walk the dunes.

• DON’T DISTURB THE UNDERGROUND ROOT SYSTEM anymore than you need to when you’re harvesting.

• ALWAYS LEAVE SOME BEHIND to grow and multiply. Even if you get lucky and find a whole colony, don’t pick them all.

• TAKE FIELD NOTES about the habitat, how the mushrooms are growing, and where you find mushrooms. Make sure to visit the site again because mushrooms often return to the same spots year after year.

• DRY YOUR MUSHROOMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Fresh mushrooms are 90 to 95 percent water and should be dried immediately to retain their potency. They can be air-dried for two or three days, or you can pop them in a dehydrator to speed up the process.

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The Giving Season This year more than ever, New England nonprofits need your support.

If you want to do something to help make the world a kinder, greener place this holiday season, think about donating your time, talent, or money to a New England charity. Consider some of these local organizations dedicated to a variety of causes, from saving open space and helping mistreated animals to providing services to homeless and at-risk adults, children, and families.

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PHOTO BY TUNG, ADOBE STOCK

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

The farm, which is open to the public, also offers educational programs and tours, and hosts special events. (A holiday-themed candlelight barn tour is planned for pawsnewengland.com December 13 and 14.)

Winslow Farm needs Winslow Farm donations of cat and dog Animal Awareness food, pigeon food, birdLocated in Norton, seed, and fresh greens.

Massachusetts, Winslow The organization also Farm provides a home for maintains a wish list on abused and abandoned Amazon. Volunteers are animals of all kinds, also needed to help with a including horses, goats, variety of tasks. Monetary chickens, ponies, ostrich- donations can be made es, pigs, rabbits, donkeys, via a link on the website. winslowfarm.com alpacas, dogs, and cats.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAWS NEW ENGLAND / WINSLOW FARM

donations to help defer the costs of veterinary care and transportation.

All profits made from items sold in the online store are used to support the organization.

high-kill shelters. PAWS places the dogs it rescues in caring foster homes DOMESTIC and provides them with ANIMALS & PETS veterinary care. Rehabilitated dogs are transPAWS New England ported to New England Founded in 2005 in Ten- where they are matched nessee, PAWS New Enwith loving families. gland rescues abandoned, PAWS needs volneglected, and abused unteers to work as dogs from southern adoption coordinators, states, including Tenconduct home visits, nessee, Arkansas, Texas, coordinate fundraisers, Missouri, and Louisiana, and help with social mewhich have large popula- dia marketing. They are tions of unwanted pets in also seeking financial D EC E M B E R 2020

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PHOTOS (TOP): COURTESY OF NECWA / PHOTO (BELOW): BY BRENDAN WILTSE

THE SCENE

CONSERVATION & OPEN SPACE New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance Made up entirely of volunteers, New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA) is

Northeast Wilderness Trust Based in Montpelier, Vermont, Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT) “rewilds” land and permanently protects wild landscapes across New England that are in danger of development. Wilderness areas are essential for fostering plant and wildresearch, collect essenlife biodiversity and protial data, and provide moting species resilience, student internship and they help mitigate opportunities. NECWA climate change by storing also manages a rescue carbon. Spending time in program for ocean sunnatural settings has also fish, which often become been shown to improve stranded during the fall human health. based in Carver, Massa- and winter.

NEWT needs volunchusetts, and works to Donations and volunteers to help with tasks protect marine wildlife teers are always needed. like cleaning up trash, native to the Gulf of You might also consider planting trees, and creMaine, including whales, making a purchase in ating videos to promote sharks, seabirds, rays, NECWA’s online store. All its projects. The organiand turtles. They offer profits go to support the zation is also in need of educational programs, organization’s mission. financial donations. facilitate scientific necwa.org newildernesstrust.org

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THE SCENE

tions each week, operates mobile food pantries throughout Portland, The Greater Boston and delivers food boxes Food Bank to area seniors. The orAccording to Feeding ganization also manages America, a Chicaan extensive food rescue go-based nonprofit that program, preventing supports nearly 60,000 food pantries nationwide, perfectly good produce, bread, and other food food insecurity among from being thrown New Englanders has increased nearly 60 percent away by restaurants and grocery stores. Wayside over the course of 2020 Food Programs is seekdue to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associ- ing volunteers to donate ated economic downturn. time, food, and funds. waysidemaine.org As the largest food bank in New England, it SOCIAL JUSTICE serves eastern Massachusetts communities New England from Amesbury to Nantucket. They are seeking Innocence Project Based in Cambridge, volunteers to work in Massachusetts, this food pantries and host nonprofit works in all fundraisers, as well as six New England states monetary donations. gbfb.org to overturn and prevent wrongful criminal conWayside Food victions. New England Programs Innocence Project (NEIP) Serving the hungry in also advocates for policy southern Maine since reforms and provides 1986, Wayside Food Pro- educational programs to grams serves community individuals and organizameals in several locations. Made up of a small

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PHOTOS (LEFT): COURTESY OF WAYSIDE / PHOTOS (BOTTOM RIGHT): COURTESY OF NEIP

FOOD SECURITY

COURTESY OF ROSIE’S PLACE

THE SCENE

Rosie’s Place The first women’s shelter in the US, Rosie’s Place was founded in Boston in 1974. It provides emergency housing, medical staff of attorneys and meals, nonperishable care, meals, legal services, city. Pine Street assists up fundraising and commu- to 2,000 people a day by food items, holiday and educational oppornications professionals, tunities to more than offering emergency shelter, gifts, and clothing to NEIP provides free legal 12,000 at-risk, poor, and medical care, and job train- low-income and at-risk services, forensic testing, ing. It also works to move children, families, and homeless women each and subject matter individuals into permanent seniors. It also offers year. The organization experts to individuals supportive housing. free educational self-help also conducts home visits convicted of crimes they Pine Street Inn needs workshops on subjects for women who are isodidn’t commit, efforts such as personal finance, lated, suffer from mental volunteers to provide that have helped exoncooking healthy meals, health issues, or who lunches to guests, send erate dozens of innocent growing your own prohave been recently settled greeting cards and notes people in New England into new housing. Rosie’s to permanent housing res- duce, and how to adopt since the organization Place needs volunteers to idents, donate snacks, and more sustainable living was founded in 2000. practices. serve meals, teach classes, host fundraisers. MonNEIP is always in Based in Concord, and connect with women etary donations as well need of donations and New Hampshire, FFC outside the shelter. as donations of food, toivolunteers willing to needs donations of new The group is currently letries, cleaning supplies, share their skills in areas paper goods, and first-aid clothing, furniture, toys, seeking donations of such as fundraising and kits are also needed. nonperishable food, and face masks, disinfecting graphic design. pinestreetinn.org wipes, hand sanitizer, and holiday wish list items. newenglandinnocence.org bath and body gift sets.

The group is also seekWOMEN, For the holiday season, ing professionals and Pine Street Inn CHILDREN & Rosie’s Place is asking for experienced hobbyists For more than 50 years FAMILIES gift cards in $25 denomto teach self-help workPine Street Inn in Boston inations from CVS, Walshops. Fee-free monegreens, Target, and Old has provided essential Friends of Forgotten tary donations can be Navy. Monetary donations services and programs to Children made via FFC’s PayPal are always welcome. women and men experiFriends of Forgotten Giving Fund page. encing homelessness in the Children (FFC) provides fofc-nh.org rosiesplace.org D EC E M B E R 2020

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THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: EVENT NAME BELOW: EVENT NAME RIGHT: EVENT NAME

December’s short days and long nights are ideal for festive lights, snowy walks, and spending time with loved ones online or around the holiday table.

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

From Boston to Montpelier, Vermont, if you enjoy spending time indoors or outside this time of year, you can celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year with festive holiday light displays, musical performances, a trip to the “North Pole” on a vintage train, parades, socially distanced outdoor markets, and virtual celebrations.

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North Pole Nov. 27–Dec. 31 Conway Scenic Railroad, North Conway, NH Hobo Railroad, Lincoln, NH journeytothenorthpole.org

Winterlights 2020 Nov. 27–Jan. 2 Naumkeag, Stockbridge, MA thetrustees.org

COURTESY OF JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE

Cultural Calendar

Climb aboard the North Pole train and enjoy delicious Nov. 19–Dec. 30 treats during a Crescent Farms, magical two-hour Haverhill, MA journey to Santa’s northshorelightshow.com workshop. Meet a few of Santa’s elves Gardens Aglow and hear a dramatic 2020 reading of Clement Nov. 27–Dec. 27 Clarke Moore’s Heritage Museums & poem A Visit from Gardens, Sandwich, MA St. Nicolas, comheritagemuseumsandgardens.org monly known as “The Night Before Journey to the Christmas.”

North Shore Holiday Lights Show

THE SCENE CALENDAR

LEFT: JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE MIDDLE: CANDLELIGHT STROLL UNDER THE STARS RIGHT: BOBCATS AT LITTLE WACHUSETT

Zoolights 2020 Nov. 27–Jan. 3 Stone Zoo, Stoneham, MA zoonewengland.org

MJBizCon 2020 Dec. 2–4 Virtual mjbizconference.com

This virtual cannabis industry conference will feature workshops and talks by industry leaders, new products and services, hundreds of vendors and exhibitors, and individual and group networking opportunities.

The Spirit of Christmas Past: Four Centuries of Christmas in New England Dec. 6 Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, Norwalk, CT lockwoodmathewsmansion.com

Candlelight Stroll Under the Stars Dec. 11–20 Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, NH strawberybanke.org

Kennebunkport’s Every year Christmas since 1979, the Prelude Candlelight Stroll

PHOTOS (FROM TOP): COURTESY OF STRAWBERY BANKE MUSUEM / MASS AUDUBON

Dec. 3–13 Various locations, Kennebunkport, ME christmasprelude.com

Visit Freeport’s Sparkle Celebration Dec. 4–13 Various locations, Freeport, ME sparklecelebration.com

Bowen’s Wharf 50th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting & Christmas Village Dec. 5 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport, RI bowenswharf.com

at Strawbery Banke has captured 350 years of seasonal and holiday traditions against the backdrop of the museum’s historic houses. Visitors stroll along candlelit pathways and are greeted along the way by costumed guides who re-create traditions of times past.

35th Annual Wells Christmas Parade Dec. 13 Starts at Wells Plaza North, Wells, ME wellschristmasparade.com

Bobcats at Little Wachusett Dec. 18 Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA massaudubon.org

Study a bobcat skin, skull, and track casts before searching for bobcat clues along the trails of Little Wachusett Mountain. Meet at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary and then drive to the north border of the sanctuary to start the moderate half-mile hike.

Sharon Jones Quartet Dec. 19 The Historic Theater, Portsmouth, NH themusichall.org

Sharon Jones delivers riff-driven high-energy R&B and blues performances that get crowds dancing.

Her passion for music radiates, and her expressiveness embraces her audiences. This live show will feature a socially distanced layout with professional table service.

State House Menorah Lighting Dec. 23 State House, Montpelier, VT montpelieralive.org

Afrobeat Saturdays Dec. 26 Aura, Portland, ME auramaine.com

Drag Haus: Holiday Snow Ball!

Dec. 30 Seacoast Rep, Portsmouth, NH seacoastrep.org

First Night Boston 2021 Dec. 31 Virtual, via WTBS-TV firstnightboston.org

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s First Night Boston celebration will be virtual, with live performances broadcast on WTBSTV (channel 10) and livestreamed at firstnightboston.org.

Use #Together21 in social media posts to share your New Year’s celebrations from home.

First Night Northampton 2021 Dec. 31 Virtual, via Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Comcast firstnightnorthampton.org

Folk Arts Center of New England New Year’s 2020 Dec. 31 Virtual, via Zoom facone.org

Wassail Weekend Dec. 11–13 Various locations, Woodstock, VT woodstockvt.com

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

Packaging with Imagination From high-gloss coatings to hot-gold stamping, Corners creates high-end packaging for Cannabis and CBD products.

A

product’s packaging is one of the more important advertorial tools in a brand’s pocket. Clear and crisp packaging that effectively presents a message can be the single most important factor in a consumer’s decision whether to purchase a product or not. In a recent survey for the Paper and Packaging Board, 72 percent of respondents said that the design of a product’s packaging influenced their decision to purchase it.

As the cannabis and CBD space grows more crowded each year, it behooves brands to partner with a

proven industry leader as they roll out new offerings. Corners Packaging offers a wide array of products to package everything from tinctures to edibles and vapes to pre-rolls. You name it, and Corners can create a unique vessel for it. That’s because it’s a subsidiary of the Curtis Packaging Company, a company that has been in operation for 175 years.

Operating out of the same facilities as its parent company, Corners uses packaging that’s on par with what’s used by many leading products in the liquor, chocolate, golf, and cosmetic industry. “It is not uncommon to see a

cannabis company’s products run on the same presses that Estée Lauder and Lindt Chocolates just used,” says Stephen Barmore, the director of new business development for Corners.

High quality graphics, cutting-edge printing, and durable packages are the norm, plus all products are made in the United States. The company can turn out new designs in a little as three weeks.

Best of all is its overall commitment to sustainability as a company. Your consumers can rest assured knowing that whatever they are holding in their hands was produced in a zero-waste facility that used 100 percent renewable energy. Corners is also carbon neutral, it practices sustainable sourcing, and it has partnered with Reforest the Tropics. To help its clients, the company also offers an environmental savings statement that clients can use to help build their brands.

After you’ve spent the time perfecting a new offering, don’t make the mistake of shoddy packaging. Partner with the best.

Corners Packaging Premium Packaging for Cannabis and CBD products wemakecorners.com curtispackaging.com D EC E M B E R 2020

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THE END

The Road Taken

The former home of poet Robert Frost attracts visitors from around the world.

Many people remember reading Robert Frost’s poems in high school, but far fewer know that the four-time Pulitzer Prize winner was once a poultry farmer. In 1900, Frost purchased a small farm in Derry, New Hampshire, 60

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where he raised chickens, taught English at nearby Pinkerton Academy, and wrote several of his beloved poems. Frost, his wife, Elinor, and their children lived on the farm until 1911, when they moved north to Plymouth, New

Hampshire, where Frost took a position teaching at Plymouth Normal School, today known as Plymouth State University.

Robert Frost Farm is now a New Hampshire state park offering public tours, an annual authors

series, and a poetry conference. Visitors who walk along the farm’s half-mile nature trail, which circles the property, can read 14 of Frost’s poems posted on signs along the route. robertfrostfarm.org

PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

TEXT EMILIE-NOELLE PROVOST

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