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HALF-VAXXED

Is it really safe to travel?

C O LO R A D O MAY 2021

ONE-HIT WONDER The joy of the one hitter

YEAR IN REARVIEW Finding respite on the road

IT HAPPENED HERE

How King Soopers changed Boulder

HARNESS THE POWER OF SCIENCE & FLOWER

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Thank You! TO OUR INCREDIBLE FAMILY & COMMUNITY

FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO! TO OUR CUSTOMERS

I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU. I appreciate your support during these uncertain times while we work to keep our stores safe, clean, shelves stocked, and open. The Maggie’s Family has been humbled by the kindness you continue to show us, and more importantly, to each other.

TO OUR ASSOCIATES

I am astonished with your operational excellence and grateful for you, you are the real heroes in this story! Your commitment to Maggie’s Farm and our communities is absolutely inspiring. From our Support Staff to our Farmers and all of our Retail Associates working on the front lines, we couldn’t do what we do without you, THANK YOU. After 10 great years in business, we know we can get through any challenge together. Bill Conkling & Your Maggie’s Farm Family

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COLORADO SENSI MAGAZINE MAY 2021

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FEATURES

Home on the Road

The desert, in the comfort of a camper van, provides a much-needed break in a world still suffering.

Go Inside and Play

It Happened Here

Nothing is as it appears in Omega Mart, the “big box” store of art created by Meow Wolf.

How can we move forward after the American nightmare came to our town?

64 Gut Feelings

Cannabis could be one part of a holistic depression treatment that doesn’t start with the brain.

DEPARTMENTS

15 EDITOR’S NOTE 24 THE LIFE Contributing to your health and happiness 18 THE BUZZ HALF-VAXXED Is it really News, tips, and tidbits to keep you in the loop STREAM TV soundtracks blow up Spotify. STILL HIP Cypress Hill continues to elevate the conversation. GOOD GRIND Wakit does it right. TRUE SERVICE Honoring our veterans

safe to travel yet?

ONE-HIT WONDERS The

joy of the one hitter HOROSCOPE What the stars hold for you

74 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

ON THE COVER

A secluded spot in the San Rafael Swell makes for the perfect van camp. PHOTO BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

hangouts around town MEET ME AT THE TABLE

Local cannabis-optional dining for any occasion

82 THE END These apps and services will help you get outside this summer. M AY 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

ADVISORY BOARD

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

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

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

M AY 2021

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EDITORIAL

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

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

Richard Guerra Director of Global Reach Amanda Patrizi Deputy Director of Global Reach Tuva Hank Music Director, Sensi Presents Neil Willis Production Director MEDIA PARTNERS

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

EXECUTIVE

Ron Kolb Founder + CEO ron@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President Lou Ferris Vice President of Global Revenue Chris Foltz Vice President of Global Reach Jade Kolb Director of Project Management ADVERTISING

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

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

MEDIA SALES

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

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Magazine published monthly by Sensi Media Group LLC.

It’s weird that as things are getting back

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to normal, “normal” now feels weird. This time last year, we were hoarding toilet paper or making fun of people for hoarding toilet paper or installing and adjusting to our new bidets, which we used every time we had to go, because we had nowhere else to go in a different sense. We were at home, and at home we stayed. Out in the world was a scary place to be. What a difference a year, Dolly Parton, and science can make. I’m writing this two weeks to the day after my second vaccination, which means I am inoculated—my immune system is armed with the antibodies I need to reenter the world, to return to “normal.” Personally, I’m making that return trip with some extra emotional baggage, some new social anxieties and avoidance tendencies that will take some work to get through. Turns out, I’m not alone. There’s a good portion of people in my socially distanced circles feeling the same way, and the more I speak with them about how I’m feeling, the more I realize that abnormal is the new normal and we’re all feeling it to some extent. We’re all (still) in this together, and I find a lot of comfort within this crowd. It’s great to see you here. Thank you for stopping by. I hope to see you out there in the great wide “normal” world real soon. It’s been far too long.

We’re all (still) in this together, and I find a lot of comfort within this crowd.

Stephanie Wilson @stephwilll

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

M AY 2021

S E N S I M AG .C O M

Streaming Soundtracks Binge watching now encompasses hours of people’s daily lives, with Netflix ranked as number two in popularity for video streaming services according to statista. com. All of that streaming has also influenced viewers’ favorite soundtracks and songs. The website onbuy.com/gb selected Netflix’s top 10 shows, then the average number of streams for each of the programs’ 18

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soundtrack on Spotify. With an average of 82 million streams per track, the most popular soundtrack is Stranger Things, currently Netflix’s second most popular show with two hours and 55 minutes of music on the Spotify playlist. The second-most-listened-to soundtrack is 13 Reasons Why with 59 million streams per song, including artists Billie English and Selena Gomez. Black Mirror, the

British version of Twilight Zone, ranked number three with 48 million streams per song. The five hours and nine minutes of music features a range of artists from the Bee Gees to Alanis Morrissette to Simple Minds. Rounding out the top 10 list: Sex Education, Orange is the New Black, Money Heist, Peaky Blinders, The Crown, Dark, and The Queen’s Gambit.

PHOTO BY WESLEY TINGEY

Fans favor music from popular TV streaming services.

CONTRIBUTOR

Debbie Hall

MUSICAL ADVOCACY

PHOTOS (FROM RIGHT) COURTESY OF WIKIPICS, WAKIT GRINDERS

Groundbreaking group continues to elevate the conversation. Eric “Bobo” Correa has long combined passion and activism as a percussionist for the hip hop group Cypress Hill (he also played with the Beastie Boys and Ritmo Machine). He has advocated for legalized medicinal and recreational cannabis in the US for decades. The first Latin-American hip-hop group to have sold over 20 million albums worldwide, Cypress Hill is considered an originator of West Coast and 1990s hip hop. Correa’s father, Latin jazz percussionist Willie Bobo, influenced and inspired him. He says, “I was banging on things before I could talk. My parents realized I had an early fixation on music.” At the age of five, Correa got to play with his father. Cypress Hill released its first album in 1991, before Correa joined. “It was one of the first in the hip hop world to talk about smoking cannabis publically,” says Correa. When the group’s second album, Black Sunday, was released in 1993, band members were being educated by Norml and Jack Herrer about advocacy, medicinal uses, and presenting a new message. On the back of that album. There was printed facts about cannabis and hemp benefits. As he put it, “We wanted to be knowledgeable and back up what we said.” In 2019, Cypress Hill became the first Latin-American hip hop artists to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “To be honored and acknowledged with an elite club of entertainers is an incredible feeling,” says Correa. He makes sure the star remains clean on the sidewalk. Today, Correa is working on music with Cypress Hill and a solo release, Empire, as well as on a soundtrack for a miniseries for Netflix in Argentina. “I am creating, resetting, and looking forward to going back on the road.”

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C O LO R A D O

M AY 2 0 21

THE BUZZ

BILITIES BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

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

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

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

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

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHOTOGRAPHY WITH ELLE

It’s good for you.

“PEOPLE WHO SEE LIFE AS ANYTHING MORE THAN PURE ENTERTAINMENT ARE MISSING THE POINT.” —George Carlin

EMBRACING THE STARS

See past, present, and future more clearly.

National columnist Mona Van Joseph, known as Mystic Mona, stargazes monthly for Sensi magazine. As an intuitive, Van Joseph has been predicting her clients’ potential since 2002 as well as broadcasting to a big following on her radio show, Psychic View Radio, 9 a.m. Pacific Time on Saturdays on mona. vegas. Van Joseph has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, TLC’s Sister Wives, and the documentary Dead Famous. Her tagline, “predicating your potential,” shares her philosophy. She helps her clients see clearly what is going on in the present and then builds into what is likely to happen if they stay in the same pattern or energy. Van Joseph was introduced to psychic arts at the age of 15 when a friend’s mother offered to read her tea leaves. After this experience, she started to read tarot cards for friends and family and quickly learned to focus her gifts. After moving to Las Vegas over 20 years ago, Van Joseph picked up tarot cards again, adding numerology and horoscopes to her repertoire. “You always have the power to change things,” she says. “If curses or bad energy come up around a reader, they might be trying to scam you” she cautions. Reputable psychics in southern Nevada will have obtained a Psychic Arts License in the city where they operate their business. While the license doesn’t determine the skills of an intuitive reader, it does rule out readers who have a criminal background. Van Joseph’s book and website Dice Wisdom (diceswisdom. com) shares her method of divination using two regular dice and even has a companion app available on iPhone and Android. Look for her astrology column in Sensi magazine. “It is a wonderful way for me to concentrate on the specific zodiac signs. I am drawing cards for each sign and writing my notes on what spirit wants to say for that month.” Mona Van Joseph / 500 N. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 300, Las Vegas / vegasastrology.com

M AY 2021

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

A week before our trip, Leah sent me an article that was giving her cold feet. “Crowds swarm the Las Vegas Strip as casinos reopen,” The Hill headline screamed. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak had signed an emergen24

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

Leah and I chose Vegas as a meeting spot because it was easy for both of us to get to, halfway between our homes in Colorado and Oregon. With everything running at 35 percent capacity, it seemed like a safe

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

PHOTO BY NEON BRAND, UNSPLASH

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

amazing meals, and maybe play a little blackjack. The last time Leah and I traveled together, to a mushroom hunt in Long Beach, Washington, she got COVID-19. I, miraculously, did not. “If I get sick, I’m never traveling with u again, ha ha,” she texted. But the weather forecast was perfect—sunny and mid- to high 70s, a far cry from snowy Boulder and dreary Portland. And so many people had already been vaccinated.

We promised each other we would be zealous about social distancing and double masking and hand washing and all the things. A couple days later, I sent Leah a Huffington Post article saying that catching COVID-19 twice is rare. “They’re just guessing!” she texted back. “I’m fine. If I die after the Four Seasons, I’ll die happy!” “See you in Vegas,” I wrote. Safety in Seatmates I needed this trip. After

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

cumstances, the socially distanced Four Seasons pool would do. When I flew Southwest to Portland and Omaha, the airline was blocking off middle seats—an unexpected little COVID-19 benefit that took a lot of stress out of being in the C group. That ended on December 1, 2020, so I spent the extra $20 for early bird check-in to give myself an advantage in finding a safe seat. As I filed in with the A group, I spotted an older woman sitting up front in a middle seat and grabbed the aisle seat next to her. “Just so you know, I’m fully vaccinated,” she said after I buckled up. Yes! “That’s why I picked you,” I said, settling in for a relaxing trip. At the hotel, a bellman stopped us on our way to the front desk and asked us to stand in front of a machine that took our temperature. I was nervous, the way you feel when a cop pulls up behind you, even when you’re not breaking any laws. What would happen if my temp was elevated from lugging my big bag and from my excitement about traveling again? Who would take me in if I had to quarantine in Vegas? Why had I done this to myself when I was this close to getting vaccinated? M AY 2021

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THE LIFE

PHOTO OF SCULPTURE BY LIBERTY ANN, UNSPLASH

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

at well-spaced slot machines and lonely dealers sanitizing chips behind plexiglass. It was so quiet, and everybody looked a little confused, like they’d forgotten how, exactly, they were supWinning Without posed to behave in pubPlaying lic (let alone Vegas). The Four Seasons and “Do you want to Mandalay Bay are at the play?” I asked Leah as we south end of the Strip, passed the slots. away from the main hus“No one’s winning,” she tle. We were expecting it said, and she was right. to be quieter there. We The absence of ding-dingjust weren’t expecting dings was loud. it to feel like we’d been Another surprise that dropped into Mormon contributed to the Morgambling camp. mon camp vibe: 7 p.m. Granted, we visited (or earlier) closing times Sunday through Tuesat nearly every Mandalay day—the slow part of Bay restaurant. Really? any week anywhere, pan- Desperate for sustenance demic or not. But it was at 7:15, we traipsed back eerie to walk through through the casino and the Mandalay Bay casino up to our room to orand see a smattering of der a cheeseburger and people sitting joylessly a pizza from a special

abbreviated COVID-19 room service menu. The food wasn’t up to Four Seasons standards, but it wasn’t prohibitively expensive, and our room had a decent view of the half-lit Strip. We reserved a poolside cabana for the next day for roughly the cost of that free night we were getting and felt, all in all and given the circumstances, like we were winning.

ists have been trickling back in since hotels and casinos began to reopen in June, but the town is a ghost of what it was in 2019. Visitors and hotel occupancy have death spiraled by more than half, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Nevada needs tourists for its economy like I need palm trees for my sanity. It relies on tourism dollars more than any other state in the country, and Masks Down, Hair Up it’s doing everything it Last March, when the can to bring people back. neon lights blinked off Hotels and casinos are and #VegasStronger offering crazy deals to messages (#VegasStrong lure work-from-anywhere had already been used nomads, and TV commerfor the 2017 shooting) cials are calling on people blinked on, it was the to “let your hair down, first time the Strip had but keep your mask up.” shut down since PresiMandalay looked to be dent John F. Kennedy’s hitting about 50 percent funeral in 1963. Touron those suggestions.

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

M AY 2021

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THE LIFE

And while you’d love to think all those unmasked tourists had been vaccinated, that would be an oxymoron. At the Four Seasons pool, the staff did their best to get people to keep their masks on, and their job wasn’t easy. The policy was that you could have your mask off if you were actively eating or drinking, so all you had to do was keep your hand on a drink or even an open water bottle to get a pass. We were allowed to take off our masks inside our cabana, and I forgot to put it on when I went to the bathroom more than once. We’ve been doing this mask thing for a year now, and sometimes I’m still a moron. A Mob at the Flamingo We had planned to hike Red Rock Canyon after picking up libations at the Apothecary and cannabis superstore Plan-

et13, but transportation was proving a problem. We had to wait 20 to 30 minutes for Lyfts and had our hearts broken a couple times by noshows. One driver told us people weren’t driving because they’re getting unemployment. Then he pointed out the row of pylons lining the street and said they were there to stop cars from mowing down tourists. We couldn’t risk a noshow Lyft at a remote canyon 25 miles away from our hotel, so we pivoted—and took a wrong turn. We should have gone back to the Four Seasons pool. Instead, we did a Google search for quiet spots in Vegas and ended up smack dab in the middle of the Strip at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino. The Art Deco relic built by Bugsy Siegel in 1946 (and rebuilt in 1953) includes a Wildlife Habitat that Vegas.com prom-

kicked in and a constant stream of people strolled by, stopping to pose in front of incarcerated flamingoes and pelicans. By the time we got a Lyft, it was 5 p.m. We headed straight for the Border Grill at Mandalay Bay and ate flank steak at a corner table in the bar. Service was a little slow because the bartender was serving everyone in the bar area while also ised would “feel miles making drinks for everyaway from the hustle and one in the restaurant, bustle of the resort.” but he made us a special The place was mobbed. raspberry-lemon drop It’s hard to say why. May- mocktail that was worth be everyone Googled the wait. “quiet spot in Vegas” that It felt festive, even if it day or maybe it’s listed was only 5:30. We toastsomewhere as a great ed, to sunshine and palm place to get Instagram trees, zombie tourists pics with birds. We took and depressed flaminrefuge on a bench as goes. To Vegas at its our cannabis beverages weirdest ever.

M AY 2021

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THE LIFE

VECTOR BY GOOD STUDIO, ADOBE STOCK

WELLNESS

C O LO R A D O

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THE LIFE WELLNESS

One-Hit Wonder It doesn’t take much to revamp your mind. The one-hit wonder. In the world of popular music, it’s a somewhat dismissive term. It’s a slight to the bands and artists who enjoyed one hugely successful song (think “MMMbop,” “Walking on Sunshine,” or “867-5309/Jenny”), then more or less disappeared into showbiz oblivion. Personally, I would rather have one hit instead of none. And I often can. That’s because at my house, the term “one-hit wonder” is shorthand for the cannabis cocktail hour, when, sometime around 5 or 6 p.m., I smoke one hit and instantly leave all the Zoom calls, texts, emails, pop-up schedules, news alerts and noise of the day behind. It’s an incredibly liberating feeling. Opening the doors in my head to new ideas, suddenly solving problems to things that just an hour earlier I thought I might never quite figure out, thinking of how I really might finish writing a new book—The Ghost Hotel—this fall, or just kicking the soccer ball for my big dog, Moses, while I move the backyard hose around. The concept of the onehit wonder is something I discovered researching my first book, The Monster, a

kind of allegory about how we might take control of the ways we confront the monsters in our personal lives—whether they be disease, mental strife, addiction, or alcoholism—by “turning a light on.” During my research, I met a rolfer who was instrumental in helping my wife and I on the path to better health. Once, after a particularly therapeutic session, I asked him how he managed the cycle of processing all of the hurt he was healing. Or, in other words, how he made sure he wasn’t holding onto other peoples’ shit. He said, “Every night when I get home, before I walk in the house, I smoke one hit then go hold on to an iron rod in my courtyard until I feel like it’s all gone. Then I can go be with my family for the evening.” “One hit?” I said. “That doesn’t seem near enough for all the problems you’re solving.” But he was already back to focusing on my health— in particular, a lingering knee injury he thought was exacerbated by my reluctance to release my grief over the recent death of my dog Tobear, a barrel-chested, willful, very

TEXT PETER KRAY

funny Malamute-Labrador mix we had nicknamed, “The Mighty Burrito.” The rolfer said, “You need to stop looking at your feet so much when you walk. Look where you’re going. Look at the horizon.” Which is something I still think about when I go for a long walk. Albeit the one-hit thing is what I think about the most. At the time I was writing that book, it slowly dawned on me that I was also writing it to help myself. It was a period in my life when I wasn’t satisfied with just one of much of anything. And cannabis—along with good beer, bourbon, and crisp reposado—was key to treating every day as part of some extremely casual long-working weekend, something Ernest Hemingway called, “the fiesta concept of life” in his final—and I think finest— book, A Moveable Feast. The beauty of getting back to one sublime moment or lasting sensation, one perfect pint of cold IPA, one fine glass of pinot noir with fresh pasta, or one fragrant inhale of the sweet leaf to remember the magic of each day was still a couple years down the tracks.

It’s the savoring of things, and sometimes the scarcity, that gives them meaning. It’s by being in the moment that you heighten the pleasure and increase the memory of each event. And it’s so much more enjoyable than the monotony of gluttony—of having so much of something that the only remarkable aspect is of how much you can cram in your garage or stuff in your mouth. You know that feeling you get when you first hear a song that you know you will love forever, and every time you play it again, it takes you back to the first time you heard it? That’s what I’m talking about. I read once that when Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys founder and architect of the California surf sound, first heard The Ronettes classic wall of sound masterpiece, “Be My Baby,” he had to pull over to the side of the road because it impacted him so much. In 2013 he told The New York Times, “In a way it wasn’t like having your mind blown, it was like having your mind revamped.” That’s the way I feel when I enjoy my one hit at the end of the day. Then I walk out onto my patio to look at the big, blue beautiful world, as I smile and wonder about it all.

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

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

M AY 2021

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THE LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph is a professionally licensed intuitive reader in Las Vegas since 2002. Author, radio host, and columnist, she created the Dice Wisdom app and is available for phone and in-person sessions. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

MAY HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you? TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

APR. 20-MAY 20

TAURUS

It’s time to accept that what you bring to the world is about to be acknowledged and appreciated. Be brave. Present your amazing ideas, and they will fall on the right ears. Embrace the challenge.

to be called back because of your skills, patience, and experience. Cooperate with the right people, and doors will open. JULY 23-AUG. 22

LEO

SEPT. 23-OCT. 22

LIBRA

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

There’s a stepping stone that’s either an opportunity MAY 21-JUNE 20 to teach you what you don’t OCT. 23-NOV. 21 GEMINI know or bring you to that Cooperation is the word of the next level in your career or SCORPIO month. Get people to agree, love life. Either way, you will Things are lining up for you sign, and commit without un- be introduced to the A list. to be very specific with your means to end goals. It might dervaluing you and how you be time to think about where can help them. Agree only to AUG. 23-SEPT. 22 your skills would translate total commitment without VIRGO compromise this month. May is not the action month into a different industry. The for you to prove your med- universe is ready for you. JUNE 21-JULY 22 dle; it’s the month to be preNOV. 22-DEC. 21 CANCER pared for what happens in Many good choices will pres- June. Gratitude goes a long SAGITTARIUS ent themselves this month. way. Step into that awesome You’ve just been rewarded by information previously withYou will be one of the people spotlight this month.

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

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

PISCES

DEC. 22-JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

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

Be the queen or king of cooperation this month. Your new beginning will present itself; you will be noticed for what you may do. Right now, be as helpful as you can without gagging at the political circus around you. MAR. 21-APR. 19

ARIES

Communication is essential AQUARIUS this month. Update your conYou have incredibly high nections on social media and standards for yourself, align with the people who and sometimes those stan- represent your future, not dards fall over to the peoyour past. What you begin in ple around you. Start by rec- May will flourish in July. JAN. 20-FEB. 18

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The desert, in the comfort of a camper van, provides a much-needed break in a world still suffering. TEXT DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

M AY 2021

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S I M P LY WAKING UP SOMEWHERE ELSE, SOMEWHERE EMPTY AND OPEN, BROUGHT US BACK TO

PHOTO BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

O U R S E LV E S.

fter so much time stuck in our house, simply sleeping somewhere else felt liberating. We were on a high bench, above the slow, distant roar of I-70, the emptiness of the desert in March all around us, the air still cold. But we were in a camper van bed, able to sleep

at last far from a year that had left us feeling isolated and broken. We spent days simply holding on—not just me, us, all of us. So simply waking up somewhere else, somewhere empty and open, brought us back to ourselves. It wasn’t just the pandemic and lockdown we were escaping. Just a few blocks from our house, a mentally ill person full of dumb rage had walked through a parking

lot and a supermarket systematically murdering 10 people before surrendering half naked and asking for his mother. We couldn’t process this tragedy. We still can’t. But it made us feel that our home, that the places where we conducted our most basic transactions, were no longer ours. We got out. There was some hope, however. The day before, we received our first shot of the vaccine, a quick

Finding solitude and warmth in the San Rafael Swell.

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YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING OUT THERE Here are Sensi’s suggestions of how to enjoy the desert in Utah and western Colorado this spring. We don’t want to give too much away—finding your own secrets is part of the adventure. LITTLE WILDHORSE AND BELL CANYONS This fun slot system, which combines two canyons for an eight-mile hike, is no secret. Go on a weekend and you’re sure to share the stunning narrows with families looking to explore the playground of the desert. But that’s no reason to blow it off. It’s so popular because it’s a world-class hike that gives you the experience of Utah’s best narrow slots without a whole lot of technical requirements beyond needing to clamber over some rocky ledges and keep an eye on the weather. But get past the most fun-house-like sections in the first few miles and the crowds thin out. Chances are you won’t see as many people in Bell Canyon which, though not as stunning as its neighbor, makes the loop hike one of the best in the San Rafael Swell. Head here on a weekday or early in the morning and you are assured more quiet.

HORSETHIEF BENCH

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ROCK ART The rock art—both petroglyphs, carved into the stone, and pictographs, painted on to it—of the Colorado Plateau is evidence not just of the peoples who have lived in this place for millennia but of the human urge to place ourselves and tell stories. While researchers can make educated guesses, the exact meaning of the rock art remains a mystery. It is fragile, however, so be careful when you visit panels, not just of the art itself but also of the surroundings. Never leave your own “art.” Even more important, know that you are just a lucky visitor here; the Indigenous people who still call this place home are descendants of those who made the art. Hopefully, with a Native American woman as the Sec. of Interior and tribes taking a role in managing public land such as Bears Ears National Monument, Indigenous people will have a the role they deserve when it comes to taking care of and connecting to these places.

PHOTO BY RADHA MARCUM

Rock art is worth the hike to find and the effort to protect.

poke of a needle that would teach our body how to recognize a virus that had shut down a world with the power to blow itself up, with the ability to change the most basic building blocks of life. We had to head to Mesa County out in Colorado’s western desert to get the shot; the big population centers were booked and hours spent trying to book appointments online proved nothing but frustrating. For me, it was a moment of relief. I realized that after all these months of living without basic joy like going to a movie theater or simply chatting with the employees in my local grocery store without a mask, things were changing.

Fruita’s most photographed ride deserves the hype. Most riders won’t want to brave the pro-level entry where a fall would equal at least a broken collarbone (but it’s easy to walk, and you are in for a treat if you happen to be here when someone with the requisite skills does ride it). Get down on the bench, however, and you experience the best of desert riding: technical ups and downs that boost your confidence, some swooping singletrack, and Instagram-worthy views of the Colorado River as you ride right along the cliffs that rise above it. The ride itself is just under four miles but requires access from other trails in the Mary’s Loop system.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE’RE HEADED, BUT AT LEAST THINGS ARE CHANGING. ABLE TO F I N A L LY LET GO OF HOLDING ON, WE CAN TRY TO FIX WHAT W E H AV E L E F T.

PHOTO BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

The van pops up in the perfect campsite.

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I wasn’t going to worry about getting my parents and other loved ones sick. Soon, I would be able to hug old friends again. We have no idea where we’re headed, but at least things are changing. Able to finally let go of holding on, we can try to fix what we have left. But you know this. You have been living it too. We are all waking up from this shared trauma and still unsure what kind of world is left. The Van The camper van was the perfect solution to campgrounds crowded with others escaping COVID-19 lockdowns and cold temperatures. We picked it up from Titus Adventure Co. in Denver stocked and ready to roll. The beauty of this kind of travel is that you can pull over almost anywhere and avoid all the hassles of reservations and setting up camp. Hungry? Turn off up a dirt road, find a view, and fire up the stove. Tired? That looks like a nice place to bed down right there. When it started to rain in the desert, we packed up and turned the grill toward Salt Lake City to sneak in a late-season powder day at Snowbird. Back in the Utah desert near Goblin Valley, we drive until we spot a place to pull the van over with the panorama of changing afternoon light on the sandstone uplift of the San Rafael Swell, like a massive wave frozen in time, at our feet. This helps. Watching clouds cast shadows. Wandering the tight slots of canyons carved by eons of rainstorms and wind. It puts you in your place. As I said, this pain, this pandemic, is not mine. It is, by its very

The control system and sink in Titus Adventure Co.'s Tofino Campervan.

A VAN FOR ALL SEASONS Titus Adventure Co. has everything you need for a worry-free camping experience. Renting off-road vehicles with pop-top tents and camper vans, this Denver-based company makes it easy to live off the grid (at least for a few days). Titus Adventure Co. (tacrentals.com) provides not just the vehicle, but also all the camp gear you’ll need—from bedding and stove to a gas-powered fire pit and chairs. Not sure where to go? Titus will create an itinerary and suggest sites with sweeping views and few crowds. Its vehicles are perfect for both locals who want a way to camp without dealing with the annoyance of campground reservations and visitors looking for a one-stop adventure vacation they’d never pull off otherwise. A 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-road with a rooftop tent that sleeps two runs $250 per day, and the Tofino Pop-top Compact RV Campervan that sleeps four runs $285 per day.

nature, all of ours. So this healing can be ours. Go to the desert, follow the rhythm of cloud shadows crossing slickrock. Sleep far from the home where you have spent more time that you ever imagined possible. Dream about how

you will come out of this rough slumber better, how you can help bring us back, bring us somewhere better. Do that by going someplace where the sheer enormity of time and existence is so big, it actually provides comfort. M AY 2021

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PHOTO BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Exploring the quiet depths of Bell Canyon.

C O LO R A D O

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THIS PAIN, THIS PANDEMIC, IS NOT MINE. IT IS, BY IT’S VERY NATURE, ALL OF OURS. SO THIS HEALING CAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF TITUS ADVENTURE CO.

BE OURS.

#vanlife therapy is a simple solution.

M AY 2021

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INSIDE

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Nothing is as it appears in this “big box store” of art. TEXT DEBBIE HALL PHOTOS HOLLIE CARDINAL PHOTOGRAPHY

M AY 2021

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ou might enter Omega Mart in Area15, “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” looking for a snack among items like Impact Corn, Caltucky Freedom Glaze, or Americanized Beef. The juxtaposition of familiar things and unknown territory rapidly becomes apparent. Quickly you’ll realize that Omega Mart is a gateway of the imagination. It’s a world of inspi-

ration, play, and transformation, a totally unpredictable immersive art experience. In February, Santa Fe–based arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf debuted its second permanent installation, Omega Mart. More than 325 creatives worked on over 250 unique projects inside four vast anchor spaces. There are 60 environments with installation-filled rooms, terrains, and portals to other spaces. Over 50 visual and musical artists collaborated on Omega

Mart, including world-renowned artists like Shrine, Amon Tobin, and Android Jones. Behind rows of “consumer goods,” visitors are invited through portals—like a refrigerated beverage case and a camping display—into four themed areas, Omega Mart, Dramcorp, Factory, and The Projected Desert. The façade opens up to an underground river that leads to a behind-the-scenes corporate entity (lost in the 20th century, according to the story), as well (continued on p. 53) 35)

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as a Tron- and Mad Max-inspired maze. Psychedelic art morphs into transcendent interiors. “This is actually the third Omega Mart,” says Jim Ward, Chief of Content and Co-CEO of Meow Wolf. “It was originally done as an experiment, then as an installment in Santa Fe, and now the third expression has come to Las Vegas.” In one room, decades collide as the projection of a spindle for a 45

record covers one wall while geometrics—Upload_Ghost_s 2021, created by artist Stephen Hendee—cut patterns in the room as music fills the space. “We really like the designs of this artist— the low poly and low design. We paired his work with [musical artist] Beach House,” explains Marsi Gray, a senior creative producer. In another space, shapes mutate on the walls like ice crystals. Inspired by a trip to Yellowstone M AY 2021

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National Park, the artist expresses the fluidity of nature. The artists who collaborated on Omega Mart represent diverse perspectives and communities. “We support marginalized artists in under-supported communities in any community we enter,” explains Ali Rubinstein, Chief Creative Officer and Co-CEO of Meow Wolf. “This exhibit is technology-driven, which certainly

SECRET DATA Omega Mart includes a hidden bar, called Datamosh, offering adult beverages. Datamosh features eight specialty cocktails, including The Blank Berry Bliss made with pink peppercorn Champagne syrup, lemon, and basil seed; The Source with mezcal, and notes of shiso, tarragon, lime, and a photo-worthy rosemary bubble filled with smoke; and The Happy that mixes soju, apple juice, apple blossom bitters, and buzz button flowers for extra kick. Want to try them for yourself? Good luck. There is no signage; visitors must discover the secret cocktail lounge through the various portals, visiting spaces and exploring the immersive landscapes.

fits Las Vegas. As we grow, we will change spaces, add, and expand as an evolving exhibit to represent the culture and community of Las Vegas.” Double the Santa Fe installation’s size at 52,000 square feet, Omega Mart took three and a half years to create. A third permanent Meow Wolf installation is scheduled to open in Denver in late 2021. Meow Wolf—the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry—is dedicated to building a more sustainable and inclusive arts economy. M AY 2021

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SANTEE, CALIFORNIA. GRUNDY, VIRGINIA. MADISON, MONTANA. MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI. METEOR, WISCONSIN. COLUMBOS, OHIO. BROOKFIELD, WISCONSIN. RED LAKE, MINNESOTA TACOMA, WASHINGTON. GOLETA, CALIFORNIA. BART TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA. SALT LAK CITY, UTAH. BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA. CRANDON, WISCONSIN. OMAHA, NEBRASKA. ARVADA COLORADO. TINLEY PARK, ILLINOIS. KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI. DEKALB, ILLINOIS. SKAGIT WASHINGTON. COVINA, CLIFORNIA. GENEVA AND SAMSON, ALABAMA. CARTHAGE, NORTH CAROLINA. BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK. COLLIER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA. FORT HOOD TEXAS. SAIPAN, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. APPOMATTOX, VIR GINIA. HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT TUSCON, ARIZONA. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. COPLEY TOWNSHIP, OHIO. CARSON CITY NEVADA. SEAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA. IRWINDALE, CALIFORNIA. CHARDON, OHIO. OAKLAND CALIFORNIA. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. AURORA, COLORADO. OAK CREEK, WISCONSIN. COL LEGE STATION, TEXAS. NEW YORK, NEW YORK. MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. BROOKFIELD WISCONSIN. CLACKAMAS, OREGON. NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT. WEBSTER, NEW YORK. SOUTH VALLEY, NEW MEXICO. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. HIALEAH, FLORIDA. SAYLORSBURG How do you move PENNSYLVANIA. WASHINGTON, D.C. FORT HOOD, TEXAS. ISLA VISTA, CALIFORNIA. SPRING forward when TEXAS. MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON. PORTLAND, the AmericanOREGON. MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA TYRONE, MISSOURI. WACO, TEXAS. CHARLESTON, Nightmare comesSOUTH CAROLINA. CHATTANOOGA, TEN NESSEE. LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. HARRIS, TEXAS. to your town?MONETA, VIRGINIA. ROSEBURG, OREGON COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. SAN BERNADINO, CALIFORNIA. KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN HESSTON AND NEWTON, KANSAS. KANSAS CITY, KANSAS. WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. It happened here. PIKE, OHIO. BELTSVILLE AND BETHESDA, MARYLAND. ORLANDO, FLORIDA. DALLAS, TEXAS ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN. BATON ROUGE,TEXTLOUISIANA. MUKLITEO, WASHINGTON. CITRONELLE ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE ALABAMA. BURLINGTON, WASHINGTON.PHOTOSTOWNVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. BROWARD, FLOR ELLIOT WHITEHEAD IDA. SCHOFIELD AND ROTHSCHILD, WISCONSIN. CINCINATI, OHIO. FRESNO, CALIFORNIA KIRKERSVILLE, OHIO. LINCOLN, MISSISSIPPI. SANDY, UTAH. EATON TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVA NIA. ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. CLO VIS, NEW MEXICO. PLANO, TEXAS. ANTIOCH, TENNESSEE. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS. TEHAMA, CALIFORNIA. AZTEC, NEW MEXICO. HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORA DO. BENTON, KENTUCKY. MELCROFT, PENNSYLVANIA. PARKLAND, FLORIDA. YOUNTVILLE CALIFORNIA. SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. SANTA FE, TEXAS. SCOTS DALE, ARIZONA. TRENTON, NEW JERSEY. ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND. JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA ABERDEEN, MARYLAND. FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA. TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA. ROBBINS, ILLINOIS. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. SEBRING, FLORIDA. ASCENSION AND LIVINGSTON, LOUISIANA. AURORA, ILLINOIS. POWAY, CALIFORNIA. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO. VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA. GILROY, CALIFOR NIA. EL PASO, TEXAS. DAYTON, OHIO. MIDLAND-ODESSA, TEXAS. SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO. ORINDA, CALIFORNIA. SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA. MIRAMAR, FLORIDA. PENSACOLA, FLOR DA. JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY. WHITE SETTLEMENT, TEXAS. GRANTSVILLE, UTAH. MILWAU KEE, WISCONSIN. ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN. ROCKFORD, ILLINO SUNRISE, FLORIDA. MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA. BUFFALO, MINNESOTA. ATLANTA, GEORGIA. BOULDER M AY 2021

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was struggling to write an article about a breakup with my yoga studio when my daughter called to tell me there was an active shooter at the neighborhood grocery store that we have frequented almost daily for 25 years. I abandoned the prose (which no longer mattered) and hopped online to learn what I could from live news reports and social media. It got worse and worse. I stumbled on a live video, then switched it off when I saw bodies. We heard rumors of six people dead. Then the official report: 10 humans gunned down, some as they were bagging groceries and helping customers navigate the self-checkout system (as they had so many times for me). I told my kids to be prepared

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

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

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

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

honor 10 dead souls, and we’ll promise never to forget. We’ll debate gun control and maybe talk a bit about mental health, post more thoughts and prayers and emojis. Then we’ll do nothing again and watch in horror as history repeats. And when it does, at a shopping mall or a school or on a random street in the next town that will be forever remembered by a massacre, people like me will rush to put words to the unspeakable and offer up their affiliation with the scene of the crime as a reminder that this could happen anywhere. The shock. The grief. The words that make no difference. This is life in America.

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Cannabis could be one part of a holistic depression treatment that starts with the gastrointestinal tract instead of the brain. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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PHOTO CREDIT

e all know someone who has been depressed, or maybe we’ve been there ourselves. It’s a sad commentary on the world that some 150 million people suffer from depression, expected to be the second cause of morbidity by 2020. One out of every seven of us will have a depressive episode at some point in our lives. If you’ve been there, you know what a debilitating black hole life becomes. Maybe you join the more than 30 million Americans (one in seven women) who use antidepressants, which are among the most prescribed, bestselling drugs in our pharma-soaked country. Maybe the doctor promises, as she scribbles out the script, that Prozac will deal with the chemical imbalance in your brain, and you take that and run with it, because who can’t see that something’s really, really wrong with your brain? You take the Prozac (or the Celexa, the Lexapro, the Paxil, the Zoloft, the Cymbalta, the Effexor, the Abilify…), and serotonin—the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep—starts pumping in your brain. Despite the bloating, cramping, and gastritis you were told to expect as side effects, you feel a bit better. Those thoughts of suicide? An unfortunate side effect. Those brain zaps when you try to go off the drug? Totally normal.

Or maybe you’re among the 40 percent of people whom the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports can’t find any relief using antidepressants. That’s a lot of people, and that statistic (which many believe is lower than reality) has sent even mainstream medical institutions like the NIH scrambling to seek alternative therapies. They’re finding solutions, but not in the brain. The key to depression, it appears, actually lies in the gut.

OUR MOOD IS WHAT WE EAT “Prozac was supposed to be a massive cure for depression that would reduce institutionalization. Instead, we’ve seen an increase in institutionalization,” says Dr. Mary Van, clinical director at ThriveX medical spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who specializes in both pharmacy and nutrition. “It becomes readily apparent that mainstream medicine missed part of the puzzle.” In recent years, the microbiome (all the bacteria, funghi, and viruses in your body)-gut-brain axis has emerged as a significant player in the development of depression, and medical researchers believe gut microbiota (colonies of organisms) may play a causal role. Regulating microbiota with diet, probiotics, and a new treatment called fecal microbiota transplantation may have important benefits for preventing and treating depression, according to an NIH report. The New York Academy of Sciences reports, more definitively, that “dysregulation to the gut microbiota is capable of facilitating the behavM AY 2021

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ioral and physiological symptoms of depression and anxiety.” How can this be? Well, it turns out that some 90 to 95 percent of our serotonin is produced not in the brain but in the gastrointestinal tract, and production is highly influenced by the bacteria that make up our intestinal microbiome. This, in turn, influences brain functioning and behavior. When we eat bad food that’s high in refined carbohydrates and sugars and take other toxins such as alcohol into our digestive system, our guts respond with inflammation, which eventually spreads to cause havoc in our brains. “Some 40 trillion cells, almost three pounds of your body mass, is bacteria,” Dr. Jack Gilbert, a microbial ecologist who directs the Microbiome Center at the University of Chicago, explained to the Chicago Tribune. “They live mostly in the intestine. It’s like an ecosystem, like a rainforest that lives inside of you—a living, breathing environment— which we can affect by the things we eat.” These discoveries have led to an emerging health care practice aimed at preventing and treating depression known as nutritional psychiatry. At its most basic, this “new” field recognizes that what we eat directly affects our brains’ structure and function and, ultimately, our moods, according to a Harvard Medical School report. Diets high in refined sugars pro—Jack Gilbert, director of the mote inflammation and oxidaMicrobiome Center, University of Chicago tive stress, which impairs brain function and worsens depressive symptoms. Studies have found that Mediterranean and traditional Japanese diets high in

“Some 40 trillion cells, almost three pounds of your body mass, is bacteria… It’s like an ecosystem, like a rainforest that lives inside of you.”

vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, and seafood and void of processed and refined foods— those staples of the American diet—lower the risk of depression by 25 to 35 percent. “We dig our graves with our forks,” says herbalist, author, and natural food chef Brigitte Mars. “We really need to stop thinking the body is not affecting the brain or that our moods are not affected by our physiology. When treating depression, a good holistic practitioner will ask if you’re eating enough leafy green vegetables to nourish the liver and help the body better utilize oxygen, and will make the diet more rainbow-like with fresh, local fruits and vegetables. The American diet has gotten very beige, and that is depressing.” According to the “evolutionary mismatch” or “paleo-deficit disorder” theory of depression, the poisons of modern living— processed food, environmental toxins, isolation, constant stress—are pushing people into depression, which according to holistic women’s health psychiatrist Dr. Kelly Brogan “is simply a message from our bodies trying to protect us from the madness of the modern world.”

TOXIC GUT, TOXIC BRAIN Van says most of the patients she treats for depression also have digestive disorders such as diarrhea or constipation. “It’s all intertwined, and it’s all due to toxicity,” she says. “Our bodies work in a biofeedback loop. You cannot touch one part and not affect another part. First and foremost, M AY 2021

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STILL AN UNKNOWN

Depressed people have been self-medicating with cannabis for as long as cannabis has been available, and the modern medical community has been condemning them for just as long. Traditional doctors argue that cannabis use can trigger depressive episodes and worsen symptoms over time. But if gut and brain inflammation truly are major factors in depression, as research is showing, it only makes sense that cannabis—renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties—could be good therapy. THC and CBD have been proven beneficial for depression in animal models,

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and states with robust medical cannabis programs have seen a 5 percent decrease in suicide rates and an even greater decrease in suicides among men in their 20s and 30s, according to Project CBD. But as is so often the case with cannabis, clinical research is lacking. In one of the very few studies that has been done on cannabis and depression, researchers analyzed data from Strainprint, an app used by medical cannabis users to track changes in symptoms as they experiment with different doses and strains,

and found that 50 percent perceived a reduction in depression after two puffs. However, cannabis use appears to have exacerbated baseline symptoms of depression over time. At Washington State University, researchers found that adults reported their depressive systems were reduced after just one puff of medical cannabis high in CBD and low in THC. Just like the Strainprint study, however, the researchers found that long-term use of medical cannabis could

aggravate depression. Cannabis is an unpredictable herb, says herbalist Brigitte Mars, who sometimes recommends it along with other herbs such as lemon balm, lavender, and St. John’s wort to patients as part of a holistic approach to treating depression that includes dietary changes, light therapy, aromatherapy, and even feng shui. “I’m totally a fan of cannabis and every herb,” says Mars. “But don’t just take an herb.”

you have to understand that if you’re depressed, it’s not just your brain. It’s every part of you.” One of the first things Van must determine when treating a severely depressed patient is whether they’re in crisis, or suicidal. If so, bringing down their anxiety level and getting them out of physical danger is crucial. She could prescribe medications like Xanax or Valium, but she finds them too harsh. Instead, Van often recommends a high dose of one-to-one ratio of THC and CBD “just to get the edge off so the patient can think clearly.” “We have to get patients out of the red zone, where they’re freaked out and can’t think, they’re catastrophically indecisive, or maybe they’re shut down emotionally,” Van says. “Cannabis therapy with a high dose of THC gives them a calming sensation, helps regulate their sleep and helps them deal with anger issues and feelings of not knowing what to do next. CBD also helps with anxiety and sleep, but THC evokes a more rapid response.” While the patient is getting cooled down, Van checks out the inflammation in their brain and digestive tract. If it’s bad, and usually it is, she often continues cannabis therapy with high doses (25 to 50 milligrams) of oral CBD to control anxiety and bring the immunological and inflammatory response —Mary Van, ThriveX Medical Spa down. She’ll also suggest the patient change their diet to include more cruciferous vegetables and probiotics, live bacteria and yeasts found in yogurt and fermented food. She asks about their poop. Most patients—particularly older women who were taught

“You cannot touch one part and not affect another part… If you’re depressed, it’s not just your brain. It’s every part of you.”

not to talk about such things— don’t want to discuss their chronic constipation or diarrhea, Van says, even though most of them have one or the other. She jokes with them that they need 12 inches in their lives every day and recommends they add more fiber to their diets to regulate their bowel movements. Having seen the exorbitant amount of antidepressants elderly patients take when she worked in nursing homes, Van is well aware of how rampant depression is among that population. “Sometimes we have to get very primitive, very primordial, but often that is the cause,” she says. “They’re not sleeping and not utilizing the bathroom properly.”

SCIENCE SAYS The link between microbiota and depression is not a new discovery. German physician Hermann Senator suggested in the 1860s that mental health disorders could be rooted in intestinal “self-infective” processes, and a new frontier of autointoxication research began exploring the role of harmful intestinal bacteria in mental diseases. “Oral bacteriotherapy” was a health trend in the 1920s, led by producers of probiotic-rich acidophilus milk and characterized by ads like this one for Walker-Gordon: “It’s a fact—and your doctor will agree—that your attitude… is largely influenced by the condition of your intestinal tract.” Drinking acidophilus milk to build good bacteria, another ad promised, would bring results “nothing short of amazing. Not M AY 2021

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only a banishing of…depression but a flooding of new vitality throughout the system.” Today, we have science to back up these claims—and evidence is mounting. Earlier this year, Canadian researchers found in a clinical trial that 32 percent of people who changed their diets went into remission from depression, while only 8 percent in a control group did. Australian researchers found that one-third of study participants reported significant improvement in symptoms of major depression after 12 weeks of eating a plant-based, fiber-rich diet. In perhaps the largest study to date, European researchers analyzed the diet and lifestyle of more than 12,000 people over six years and found that polyunsaturated fats (fish and vegetable oils) and olive oil were associated with a lower risk of depression. The study’s authors wrote that they believe the global rise in major depressive disorder could be because of “radical changes in the sources of fats consumed in Western diets, where we have substituted certain types of beneficial fats—polyunsaturated and monounsaturated in nuts, vegetable oils, and fish—for the saturated and trans fats found in meats, butter, and other products such as mass-produced pastries and fast food.” More human studies and clinical trials are needed, everyone agrees. Gilbert, for his part, is pushing hard for that to happen sooner than later. He’s driven, he told The Scientist, because “there needs to be a revolution in how we deal with mental illness in our society.”

Eat to Beat the Blues A plant-based, fiber-rich diet devoid of processed foods, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup has been proven to keep depression at bay. Include lots of the following: • Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, and miso are rich in probiotics. • Cruciferous vegetables (sulfur-smelling ones like kale, cauliflower, and broccoli) provide roughage that feeds prebiotics in the gut, says Dr. Mary Van. • Legumes, seeds, and nuts are high in zinc and amino acids, which feed serotonin transmitters. • Black chia seeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are being proven effective against major depression. (Herbalist Brigitte Mars soaks them in water, then adds other super-nutrient foods like blueberries, goji berries, bee pollen, and maca for depression prevention.) • Leafy green vegetables and lemon water help cleanse the liver, says Mars. • Organic extra-virgin olive oil should be your staple fat; avoid butter, canola oil, and palm oil.

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Meet Me at the Table

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

For better or for worse, the past year has changed the way most of us eat. We’re dining out less and making more meals at home. When we do treat ourselves to a restaurant meal, we’re more particular about where and what we’re eating than in the past. Sensi New England readers have reason to rejoice in these local cannabis- and CBD-in-

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

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

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

bis-infused dinners at home. Delivered every Thursday to addresses in the Greater Boston area, the kits include enough local organic ingredients to make a three-course meal for two. Ingredients come pre-measured and you’ll receive easy-to-follow cooking directions. Dinner at Marys’ kits also include a free but optional vial of cannabis-infused olive oil that can be used to enhance ingredients. Specific instructions give customers the ability to control THC levels, making the

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

Dope Dinners Boston Owned by a husbandand-wife team of chefs, Dope Dinners Boston offers private catering in customers’ homes. THC- and CBD-infused menus serve a minimum of six people, customized according to clients’ preferences and special occasions. Seasonal ingredients for Dope Dinners’ meals are sourced locally whenever possible. In addition to doing M AY 2021

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

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

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

Mass Cannabis Chefs Another supper clubstyle dining company, Mass Cannabis Chefs serves meals that are “cannabis-friendly.” Membership is free to anyone age 21 or over. Guests are encouraged to arrive an hour or two prior to serving time and to bring their own cannabis products to use or share while mingling with other diners. Guests also have the option of enjoying a cannabis-infused dinner. The chef individually creates each diner’s meal in accordance with his or her usual cannabis consumption and

personal preferences. Diners are encouraged to hang out and socialize after the meal is over. Mass Cannabis Chefs also offer vegan-friendly experiences. Keep an eye on the company’s website for announcements about upcoming dinners. masscannabischefs.com

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

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

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

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E AREA 420

Parks and Recreation Area 420 is the largest cannabis park in the state of Colorado; it offers cannabis entrepreneurs an easy way to get into the business.

ichael Biggio and Whitney Justice are working their way to the top of a prestigious list: leading Colorado cannabis producers. After spending eight years in prison for marijuana-related felony charges (prior to its legalization) and several more working “underground” once released, Biggio made it a personal mission to find a cannabis-friendly Colorado locale to establish a new venture. After a visit to the San Luis Valley, Biggio and business partner, Justice, found their in. Area 420 is on being Colorado’s largest cannabis park. Sitting on 420 water-accessible acres within the San Luis Valley, the Moffat-based cannabis-cultivation

zone is providing newcomers (and those looking to transition from the “grey” market) with an easy entry to the multimillion-dollar cannabis industry. But this isn’t your ordinary grow zone. The venture seeks to dispel the financial limitations of the industry, working with ex-felons and phased-investment opportunists to build a meaningful, collaborative network of growers. “We’re working together...we’re a collection of mom-and-pop operators who are joining together like Voltron to fight corporate cannabis,” says Biggio. Success, however, did not come without its fair share of hurdles, including a nearly devastating moratorium on grow facilities and commercial-marijuana

cultivation in Saguache County just as the operation was about to launch. But, innovation is key in the industry, and innovate is exactly what Biggio and Justice did. The team engaged the local community and town board in its efforts early on, and when one county door closed, another door opened—to Moffat. Together, Biggio and Justice worked with the town of Moffat to annex their acreage into town limits while also securing subdivision rights down to one-acre lots within the 420-acre plot. Now fully operational, Area 420 is following a three-phase plan: Phase 1 (100 one-acre lots) is completely sold out, and Phases 2 and 3 are currently underway. However, the final two phases are going in a slightly different direction. Biggio, Justice, and fellow community members and investors are now leaning in and making big waves as they engage the state’s social-equity programs. “We just built an in-house facility to train new growers and teach SOPS (standard operating procedures),” says Biggio. The venture is a 1:1—one part business, one part community. “On one hand, we’re a real estate builder...now [we’re] steering to build the community,” says Biggio. Bigglio notes that Area 420 holds nearly 43 percent of all grow licenses in the state of Colorado and looks to leverage its success in the coming years. From building an in-house extraction facility to setting up testing labs and opening social user-consumption lounges, Area 420 is building a network of small growers poised to build a successful community, together.

Area 420 Cannabis Cultivation Zone coloradoarea420.com M AY 2021

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P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E OH HI BEVERAGES

Oh Hi There New cannabis-infused beverages offer smooth taste and quick absorption.

s the cannabis industry continues to grow and spread across the United States, one thing is sure: consumers are looking for better and more enjoyable ways to enjoy it. There might be no better way to partake these days than reaching for one of the many new cannabis beverages hitting the market. For years, one of the biggest knocks on the canna-drink market was that products were inconsistent and struggled to deliver a smooth taste. That was due to the natural separation that would occur between cannabis oils and water. Well, recent technological advances have eliminated that, and full-flavored products are awaiting

times faster) than all other forms. All of this information is backed up by sales. Canna-drink sales soared in the first quarter of this year, up 64 percent over the same period last year, according to Marijuana Business Daily. Oh Hi Beverages, based in Colorado, offers premium cannabis-infused beverages in a wide variety of flavors and styles. The company’s THC-infused sparkling seltzers are poised to ride the coattails of the hard seltzer explosion happening across the country right now. For something a bit more flavorable, the Budtenders Reserve Tropical Thunder is an energy drink loaded with electrolytes and 100 mg of THC. Oh Hi also has a full lineup of CBD seltzers, which deliver 20 mg of pure CBD quickly to the body. Whether you are a consumer or a business owner, you should take a long, hard look at the beverages being offered these days. They are cutting edge and deliver the goods.

consumers these days. By delivering CBD and THC to the body in a water-soluble solution, an almost-instant onset of effects occurs—one quicker than with edibles or smoking. Users can quickly and efficiently introduce exact amounts of product into their bodies and custom design their experience. Plus, during COVID, drinking your own beverage is a way to enjoy a high in a social setting without any fears of crosscontamination. A recently released landmark study from Colorado State University measured the absorption rate of CBD delivered through food and supplement products. It Oh Hi Beverages found that ingesting CBD through liquid Cannabis Beverage Company form was significantly faster (almost 218 ohhibev.com

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THE END

Want a Getaway? This year, there are no excuses.

As summer nears, you have all sorts of plans to head out and enjoy the wonders of Colorado’s natural landscape—to go camping and fishing and hiking and biking to your heart’s content. To make s’mores under the stars. To summit 14ers as the sun rises. To slip and slide down the sandy slopes at Great Sand Dunes. But then reality sets in and—as reality tends to do—gets in the way. Because, “even the best laid plans,” right? Wrong. If you’ve got excuses keeping you from getting out there, look to the web to clear the way. Need somewhere to camp? Try Hipcamp (hipcamp. com), a website described as “the Airbnb of camping.” Need to rent gear? Try Outdoors Geek 82

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(outdoorsgeek.com) and borrow tents and all the other backpacking equipment you’ll need for a few days off the grid. Need a pet sitter? Try Rover (rover. com), the updated incarnation of the Dog Vacay app and website, which connects you with insured, trusted people to watch your furry family members. Need someone to watch your kids, too? Then you can look to sitter.me, a site that’s a modern incarnation of the ever-popular Baby-Sitters Club concept. Seen it all and need a new challenge? Try Geocaching (geocaching.com), an app that sends users on GPS-marked scavenger hunts for cleverly concealed loot. The summer is here, and Colorado can be your oyster. Get out there.

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ROCK THE WEEKEND Experience an epic guided tour across Yosemite

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

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