Sensi Magazine - Los Angeles (March 2018)

LOS ANGELE S

THE NEW NORMAL

3.2018

the 420

games

a healthy pairing of cannabis and fitness

natural

HIGH

Into the Great Wide Open

PARTY BUS

MELTDOWN A Coloradan’s Adventure in Cali

{PLUS } LA’s Buzzy Coffeeshop Wexler’s Deli

32

ISSUE 3 // VOLUME 1 // 3.2018

contents.

FEATURES 22

The 420 Games

26

Mile High Rules Don’t Apply

Now returning for its third year here in Los Angeles, The 420 Games is an athletic event dedicated to showing that cannabis use and physical fitness can be a healthy and harmonious pairing.

Why I failed my first California assignment … and did we really burn on the bus with Sean Paul?

10

22

GET OUTSIDE!

Can cannabis intensify your relationship with the outdoors?

EVERY ISSUE 5 Editor’s Note 6 The Buzz 10 CrossRoads

INTO THE GREAT

WIDE OPEN

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

14 TasteBuds WEXLER’S DELI

18 AroundTown

HITMAN COFFEESHOP

32 {SoLA}

REBEL ICON

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 3

sensi magazine ISSUE 3 VOLUME 1

3.2018

FOLLOW US

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb

CEO, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

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PRESIDENT, SENSI MEDIA GROUP

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GENERAL MANAGER

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EDITOR IN CHIEF

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SoCAL EDITOR

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SENIOR EDITOR

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Robyn Griggs Lawrence

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

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Ricardo Baca, Mary Carreon, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, A.J. Herrington, Steve Javors, Jon Pacella, Ry Prichard CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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4 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

March Into the

editor’s

LIGHT

NOTE

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

help inspire new generations of artists, musicians, poets,

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

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

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

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

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

environment.

mustn’t forget that ever ything in nature happens in

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

cycles — that eventually, the darkness ebbs, the light

ly falls away and mainstream American society is under

returns, and balance is restored.

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

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

der a more mellow mindset, a more compassionate cul-

interestingly enough, balance is also the purpose of our

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

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

sance will emerge —a rebirth of the American spirit that

the various systems inside our bodies in balance. And

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

politically speaking, cannabis is one of the brightest

marching toward the light.

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

Highest regards,

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

Bobby Black

and free thousands of those unjustly imprisoned. It will

@ BOBBYBL ACK

SoCAL EDITOR

A D V I S O RY B OA R D 3C Farms // CULTIVATION

Spiked Soil // SOIL

Emerald Harvest // NUTRIENT ADVISOR

Treez // SEED-TO-SALE

Flowerkist by Steph // TOPICALS

Undoo // OVERCONSUMPTION RELIEF

LINX Card // MERCHANT SERVICES

VapeXhale // LUXURY VAPORIZER

NLVO // LAS VEGAS LUXURY CANNABIS

Venice Relief // CBD FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT

SIVA // BUSINESS CONSULTING

Vriptech // GL ASS VAPE

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 5

THE NE W N O R M A L

the

buzz

headSPIN

concert CALENDAR A brief listing of some of the top shows in and around Los Angeles this month.

3/1 • The Roxy

Pop Evil

3/2 • The Forum

3/10 • Regent Theater

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

A MONTHLY RECOMMENDATION FOR MUSICAL MEDICATION FROM JON PACELLA, A SALES SPECIALIST AT THE ICONIC AMOEBA

Demi Lovato, DJ Khaled

3/10 • Whisky A Go Go

MUSIC IN HOL LYWOOD.

3/2 • Orpheum Theater

3/10 • Hollywood Palladium

ALBUM : No Time For Dreaming (2011) ARTIST : Charles Bradley F AVORITE TRACK : “The World (Is Going Up In Flames)” Another year wrought with loss in the entertainment world, 2017 saw one especially sad departure —the passing of the singer known as the “Screaming Eagle of Soul,” Charles Bradley.

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

Alongside his Menahan Street Band, Bradley stripped soul music down to its very essence and laid it bare. There’s no sadder lament for humanity than “The World (Is Going Up In Flames).”

When he wails, “Why is it so hard to make it in America?” (in the song of the same name), you feel every bit of his despair. And much like the late Johnny Cash, when Bradley covered another artist’s song, he took it in and made it his own: Whether it was the mellow R&B vibes on Neil Young’s classic “Heart of Gold,” the funky groove of Nirvana’s “Stay Away,” or the masterful reworking of Black Sabbath’s “Changes,” Bradley and the band twisted the songs through a musical prism, bending them until they shone through in a beautifully different way.

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

6 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters 3/2 • Fonda Theater

Machine Head 3/2 • Regent Theater

They Might Be Giants 3/3 • Regent Theater

Suicide Girls

Fozzy

Jawbreaker

3/11 •The Novo

Buddy Guy

3/11 • The Forum

iHeartRadio Music Awards 3/11 • Whisky A Go Go

Doyle

3/12-13 • Orpheum Theater

3/3 • Walt Disney Concert Hall

LA Philharmonic

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

3/4 • Teragram Ballroom

3/14 • Staples Center

3/3–4 • Exposition Park

3/14-16 • The Echo

Earthless

AIR + STYLE Skate & Music Festival 3/4 • Walt Disney Concert Hall

Yo-Yo Ma

3/5 • The Theater at Ace Hotel

k.d. lang

Lorde, Run The Jewels Moby

3/16 • Troubadour

Psychedelic Furs 3/17 • Hollywood Palladium

Flogging Molly

3/23 • Walt Disney Concert Hall

3/7 • Regent Theater

Talib Kweli

Chick Corea, Kurt Elling

3/8 • Hollywood Palladium

3/24 • The Wiltern

3/8 • Whisky A Go Go

3/24 • Regent Theater

3/8 • Belasco Theater

3/24 • Saban Theater

Jawbreaker

Bow Wow Wow Iced Earth

3/8 • The Rose

Stone Temple Pilots

Umphrey’s McGee Wyclef Jean

Morris Day and the Time 3/29 • The Wiltern

3/8 • Walt Disney Concert Hall

L.A. Philharmonic

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD)

3/9 • Shrine Expo Hall

3/29 • Fonda Theater

Steve Aoki, Desiigner

The Darkness

3/9 • UCLA, Royce Hall

3/30 • Fonda Theater

Kronos Quartet

Galactic

IN PRAISE OF

punk

in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Now, in remembrance and appreciation of the original Godfathers of Punk, a group of their hardcore fans known as “Punk 4 Punks” is putting together a showcase of original artwork inspired by the band. On March 23, the 5 Star Bar on S. Main Street is hosting The Ramones Art Exhibit, a grassroots-style exhibition featuring paintings, sketches, tattoos, and mixed-media works from over a dozen

THE CITY OF ANGELS PAYS TRIBUTE TO T WO

local artists. Local punk groups Teenage Goo Goo

PUNK ROCK PIONEERS — NYC BAD BOYS THE

Muck, The Shag Rats, Turbulent Hearts, and Pretty

RAMONES AND LA’S OWN X.

Vacant will be performing, as will tribute band Too Tough to Die. If you’re into punk, you’ll want to be

HEY, HO, LET’S GO In 1974, four friends from Queens started a garage band. They got matching leather jackets and

there. Tickets are limited, but they’re only $15 a pop, so get yours now before they’re gone.

HOLDMYTICKETS.COM.

shaggy bowl haircuts and all started using Ramone THE X FACTOR

as their fake surname, inspired by a pseudonym once used by Paul McCartney. The Ramones, as they called themselves, helped spark a music revolution.

The group’s stripped-down, street-smart style

Widely credited as the most influential band of the West Coast punk movement, the group known simply as X inspired many aspiring mu-

combined with the power-chord punch and pop mel-

sicians during the late 1970s and early 80s. That in-

odies of their speedy, simplistic songs propelled The

cludes Jason Cruz, the lead singer of the punk band

Ramones to a national stage. Throughout their ca-

Strung Out.

reer—from their earliest shows at New York’s leg-

“Lots of things made LA lame, but lots of things made

endary CBGB to their final performance at the Palace

L A cool—the latter being Chicano culture, the birth of skate-

here in Hollywood in 1996—The Ramones stayed

boarding, the romance of LA noir, and the band X,” Cruz says.

true to their style and roots, earning them a place

X started in 1977 in a basement on Hollywood Boulevard by founding members John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom, and DJ Bonebrake.

The enigmatic quartet rose rapidly to the top of the emerging punk rock scene in Los Angeles. Their first two studio albums, Los Angeles (produced by Ray Manzarek of The Doors) and Wild Gift, would eventually be ranked among the top 500 records of all time by Rolling Stone.

“X used every part of the American music experience to create something so much more than just a punk band,” says Cruz. “Their music was dirty LA cinema on wax.”

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this seminal group and pay homage to their enormous influence, the GRAMMY Museum at LA Live is currently hosting X: 40 Years of Punk In Los Angeles. The exhibit features

ALISON BUCK/WIREIMAGE.COM

a slew of the band’s memorabilia and personal effects, including handwritten notebooks and lyric sheets, instruments and gear, original show flyers, rare photographs, and original artwork by Exene, as well as screening the rockumentary film X: The Unheard Music.

“X is cooler than you; X is cooler than me,” Cruz says. “They made punk smooth like a razor and fun like a fight at a high school prom.”

For X fans or lovers of punk in general, this rare inside look into the band's origin, evolution, and contribution to the punk movement is a must-see. It runs through the end of March. For more information: GRAMMYMUSEUM.ORG/EXHIBITS/X

–AMBER MEYER

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 7

THE NE W N O R M A L

the

the

buzz

WONDER of

Whether smothered in butter and maple syrup for breakfast or buried beneath a mountain of ice cream for dessert, a fresh, warm waffle is a tasty treat that’s hard not to love. Like many other fondly regarded foods, waffles have earned days of recognition both in America and abroad.

Here in the US, we officially celebrate Waffle Day on August 24, the day the first US patent for the waffle iron was filed. But over in Sweden, where they apparently take their waffles pretty seriously, it’s celebrated on March 25— which also happens to be the Christian holiday Our Lady’s Day or the Feast of the Annunciation. The two falling on the same day is no coincidence: the Swedish name for “Our Lady’s Day” is Vårfrudagen, which in Swedish vernacular sounds oddly similar to våffeldagen, which means “waffle day.” Unlike Belgian waffles, which tend to be thicker with a larger grid pattern, Swedish waffles are thinner with a smaller grid. They are traditionally in the shape of a heart and served with whipped cream and jam or fresh berries.

In honor of this sweet Swedish holiday, EZ Events Productions is holding a two-day Waffles and Beer Festival at Pershing Square Park in Downtown LA. The event will feature a variety of different types and flavors of waffles, along with a selection of different craft beers and some live music. Best of all, admission is free. What better way to celebrate the start of spring than that?

What: Waffles and Beer Festival 2018 Where: Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., Los Angeles When: March 24–25, 12 p.m.–8 p.m.

More Info: FACEBOOK.COM/WAFFLEBEERFEST

8 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

Rick Steves {live}

Since its inception in 1997, the Distinguished Speaker Series of Southern

California has made it its mission to expose audiences to the thoughts and insights of some of the greatest thinkers of our generation, including former president Bill Clinton, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, poet laureate Maya Angelou, and even the Dalai Lama. This month, the series adds famed travel writer, television host, and philanthropist Rick Steves to that esteemed list.

After traveling Europe with his father as a boy, Steves was inspired to start his own travel information company, Rick Steves’ Europe—authoring a multitude of guidebooks, and later producing and starring in a popular series by the same name on public television. During his travels, he was impressed by the relaxed attitude toward cannabis he encountered in certain European countries. An unabashed cannabis user, Steves not only offered his readers and viewers advice on navigating cannabis culture in Amsterdam but also became a staunch advocate for drug policy reform here in the States. As a board member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), he has attended numerous cannabis

rallies and events and was instrumental in the effort to legalize marijuana in his home state of Washington.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this beloved travel guru and cannabis activist share some of his travel tales live in person this month at the select SoCal venues listed below. For more information, visit SPEAKERSLA.COM and RICKSTEVES.COM .

–A. J. HERRINGTON

THE DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PRESENTS: RICK STEVES

SUNDAY, MARCH 11, 7 P.M. // Saban Theatre 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills MONDAY, MARCH 12, 8 P.M. // Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 8 P.M. // Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 8 P.M. // Ambassador Auditorium 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 9

{crossroads}

by RICARDO BACA

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

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

stress, improve focus, diminish depression, and restore

ing from the Netflix binges, cover those unfinished DIY

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

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

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

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

plified — and because cannabis is an amplifier as well,

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

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

some warm-weather diversions paired with cannabis.

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

While some people find that they’re most comfortable

trolling some aspects —you can bring along your favor-

consuming in a confined and tightly controlled space,

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

many of us prefer to explore our natural substances—be

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

it cannabis or psilocybin —while also exploring nature,

to consider the setting and adjust your consumption ac-

believing that the experience is very much enhanced by

cordingly. For instance, where others might overcon-

being immersed in an organic environment.

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

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

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

You decide what the temperature will be, steep that

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

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

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

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

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

is well in your little self-made world.

sleep better that night on the cold, hard ground.

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

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

after scientific study has proven that spending time

Of course, I will always remember fondly my first time

surrounded by red rock, relaxing on a beach, walking

combining open air and edibles: Some friends and I were

through the woods, or paddling down a river can relieve

rafting the Lower Colorado River between Loma (Colo

10 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

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

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

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 11

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

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

I WA S WITH MY L ADY,

OUTSIDE IN THE FRESH, WARM A IR AND

certain about dosage. I wound up getting so high and

WATER, RELEASED FROM MY DAY-TO-DAY

so absorbed in the campfire-heightened ambiance and

OBLIGATIONS, AND THERE WAS NO PLACE

the often hilarious and sometimes deeply contempla-

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

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

HAVE BEEN AT THAT MOMENT.

joyous realization all over again.

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

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

nail down my own tolerance and began to better ingest

busy streets lined with amazing public art to the rural

within my limits, which wound up being helpful during a

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

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

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

sterdam — where space cake-selling coffeeshops are

just beginning to release the sunrays it had been ab-

in abundance — Eindhoven is home to the famous Van

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

Gogh-Roosegaarde bike path, which beckoned with its

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

twinkly, solar-charged lights embedded in stone, meant

this to the otherworldly, with these multicolored lights

to evoke the artist’s trippy and surreal painting The

like stars springing up from the pebbles as we mean-

Starry Night.

dered along, past windmills from other Van Gogh paint-

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

ings and through tree-lined open spaces.

Along a more reflective vein, many would argue that

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

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

completely comfortable with my dosage, and having a

is a meditative medicine— and so when combining the

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

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

most cannabis consumers do, and so always be hyper-

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

aware of where that roach winds up and that fires are

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

completely out. Of course having a designated driver

site steadfastness and dedication that appeals to me

picked out before you imbibe is a must.

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

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

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

worth noting that consumption of any and all kinds is

She graciously offered to be designated driver, and

still very much illegal on federal lands—which includes

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

national parks, national forests and designated wilder-

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

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

antly elevated, I waded out into the middle of this

derneath the sun.

ISO standard adapters compatible with virtually all waterpipes and bubblers

No metal mesh herb "disks" "cartridges" or "bowls".

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Water and/or ice conditioned vapor.

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Only melt glands with a solvent free extraction.

www.vriptech.com | 650.206.2301

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 13

{tastebuds}

by RY PRICHARD

PHOTOGRAPHY © RY PRICHARD

14 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

RY PRICHARD is cohost of hit cannabis cuisine show Bong Appétit on the Viceland network and co-creator of food/drink/cannabis pairing project TerpQuest.

SMOKIN’ FISH Wexler’s Deli puts a modern twist on traditional Jewish delicatessen delicacies.

New York City gets all the love for having the best del-

Though his first shop, opened in 2014, was just a

is and Jewish food in the country. However, Los Angeles

pop-up stand inside Grand Central Market, it was an im-

has made major strides over the last few years to change

mediate hit. Since then, they’ve added two more loca-

that, with some new delis popping up to better cater to

tions: a new, food court-style location in Century City’s

its rather large local Jewish population. While the city’s

Westfield Mall, and this flagship, full-service store on

old-school institutions like Canter’s and Langer’s have

Santa Monica Boulevard. From the moment you enter,

already been serving great food for over half a century,

everything—from the musical selection to the ubiqui-

they’ve largely followed the same template of the classic

tous “Smoke Fish Everyday” branding featuring a sketch

East Coast delis. In 2014, a new spot opened in town and

of a smiling fish with a joint in its mouth (and yes, that’s

began to shake things up: Wexler’s Deli.

a Nate Dogg weed-smoking reference)—makes it clear

Owner and chef Micah Wexler, along with his busi-

that this ain’t your bubbie’s deli. However, the cases of

ness partner Michael Kasser, had earned some suc-

smoked whitefish, lox, sturgeon, and the house caviar

cess with their first foray into the LA restaurant scene:

brand, along with the wall of mustard and pickles behind

Mezze, a high-end Mediterranean spot on La Cienega.

the counter, would be right at home inside a corner shop

But after its closing in 2012, Micah began looking for a

in Williamsburg. Wexler’s is also one of the only places in

concept that was less formal and more familial. Even-

LA where you can get a proper chocolate egg cream or

tually, after a couple of years doing catering work, he

chocolate phosphate soda—both favorites of the old-

decided to open a deli.

school East Coast diner/soda fountain culture that some-

“I wanted this place to be the deli that I would hang

times seems lost to time.

out at,” Micah explains to me as I roll up slices of cold-

My introduction to Wexler’s came via their fish smok-

smoked fish and dab them in cream cheese. “The tra-

er Pete Wojcik, who I met while filming an episode of

ditional delis feel more like a place my grandma or aunt

Bong Appétit. Pete, who was sucking down joints like a

would frequent. I felt like there was a way to make the

champ on set, had introduced himself to me by saying

deli experience less overwhelming—especially the num-

that he “smokes weed and fish for 12 hours a day,” so

ber of menu options—and also modernize it a bit while

naturally I took to him immediately. During his forma-

still keeping alive the traditional methods of making

tive years in Gary, Indiana, he had gained some experi-

deli food.”

ence hot-smoking fish, but after he moved to New sensimag.com MARCH 2018 15

York City, he found himself tending bar. The long hours

“But at Acme, I learned these very formalized, tradi-

and unpredictable pay of bar life didn’t suit Pete, who

tional methods of preparation and presentation that

had grown up seeing the people around him working

were quite a bit different. I’ve since been able to kind of

union jobs with benefits and reliable hours. Seeking a

flow back and forth, taking bits and pieces from each to

union-style job of his own, he applied for a job at Acme

develop new products here at Wexler’s.”

Smoked Fish in Brooklyn, arguably the most respected

His partner Micah, on the flipside, comes from a fine

and advanced fish smoking operation in the country.

dining background, which creates an interesting dy-

Fortunately for him, they just happened to be in need

namic. “The recipe for sturgeon we use here is from

of an apprentice smoker, so Pete kept visiting them

Micah’s old restaurant, while the hot smoked salmon

every couple of days until they eventually caved and

is something I used to do back home in Indiana,” Pete

gave him the gig.

says. Like any partnership, that dynamic isn’t always

As Acme’s new apprentice, Pete learned the tricks the

amicable. “It’s definitely caused some long arguments

such master in Acme’s 107-year history—who impart-

early on,” Pete admits, “but in the end, I think the stuff

ed generations of wisdom about traditional Russian-

we make speaks for itself.”

Jewish fish preparation. So dedicated was Pete’s men-

WHILE THE

Wexler’s smokes all of its fish and meats on-site at

FISH GAME IS

SECOND TO NONE, WEXLER’S HAS ALSO GAINED NOTORIETY FOR ITS OTHER DELI STAPLES— NAMELY PASTRAMI AND CORNED BEEF, BOTH OF WHICH ARE

MADE IN - HOUSE DAILY. tor, in fact, that four years after taking on his apprentice,

the restaurants, with the Santa Monica location serving

he literally died behind the smoker. Upon his mentor’s

as the epicenter of production. The kitchen, though fair-

passing, Pete was promoted to the prestigious posi-

ly small, is a wonderland for anyone into this sort of thing:

tion, becoming Acme’s fourth ever master smoker, in

peering into the steam oven, I ogle a slab of gorgeous

charge of managing the production of thousands of

pastrami, its thick crust of spices glistening with fat and

pounds of fish weekly. Eventually, though, Pete and his

condensation. Inside the smoker I find lake whitefish,

wife grew tired of New York life and start contemplat-

cut pieces of sturgeon, and whole trout hung in prepa-

ing a change of scenery. Then, one day, when Googling

ration for smoking; inside the fish freezer (yep, there’s

“smoked fish LA,” Pete found Micah and reached out to

an entire walk-in freezer just for fish), I see entire bak-

him on Twitter. Having just opened a stand at Grand

er’s racks loaded with salmon filets and trays of Wex-

Central Market a couple of months prior, Micah was

ler’s signature pastrami lox portioned out for sale.

overwhelmed with work and looking for some help. With

While the fish game is second to none, Wexler’s has

the circumstances seeming so perfect, Pete relocated

also gained notoriety for its other deli staples—namely

to LA and joined the Wexler’s team.

pastrami and corned beef, both of which are made in-

“I grew up around this sort of Midwestern, hillbilly

house daily. Being the pastrami freak I am, I can’t resist

hot-smoking style from the fish houses that were

ordering the MacArthur Park sandwich—a solid heap

scattered around Michigan and Indiana,” he confesses.

of pastrami with the obligatory fat ribbon running down

16 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

the edge (which is only proper, in my mind), served on a fresh-baked, special recipe rye bread and topped with lightly melted swiss cheese, russian dressing, and a dollop of coleslaw. On the side, a house-made kosher dill and a mighty tasty mustard potato salad. When it comes to deli platters, this is pretty much the platonic ideal. I also enjoyed a bowl of Dana’s Matzo Ball Soup, made from a recipe handed down directly from Micah’s

WEXLER’S DELI

mother. It was, as chicken soups tend to be, innately satisfying: The silky broth with tiny dots of schmaltz

GRAND CENTRAL MARKET 317 S. BROADWAY

pooling around its edges filled every spongy crevice of

SANTA MONICA 616 SANTA MONICA BLVD.

the fluffy matzo ball, while slender curls of tender chicken meat and carrots milled about at the bottom of the

WESTFIELD CENTURY CITY 10250 SANTA MONICA BLVD.

bowl. It also had an unexpected crunch, thanks to the gribenes (chicken skin cracklings) scattered throughout the broth, which somehow remained crispy even while floating in soup (by way of “magic,” according to Micah).

But unquestionably, the crowning glory of my Jewish feast was the monstrous fish plate Pete put toget­ her for me, showcasing a sampling of all the products Wexler’s makes. Admittedly, the array was a little overwhelming at first, but I soon overcame my hesitation and quickly got to work on the beautifully smoked and expertly sliced sturgeon, which had a pleasing dry texture that fell somewhere between fish and bresaola, pulling apart in strips rather than flaking. Next, I had a taste of Pete’s Indiana roots in the form of the hot smoked salmon. Unceremoniously, I tore off a chunk and smashed it up against an everything bagel with a schmear of whipped cream cheese and a few capers.

The combination of these ingredients is such a classic, with the more aggressive hot smoke of the salmon playing perfectly against the dairy and acid.

Perhaps my favorite item on the plate, though, was the double-smoked pastrami lox, which Wexler’s also

of the plate, rewarding myself with its rich and fatty flesh that pulled off the bone and truly needed no accompaniment.

usually serves with a bagel and cream cheese. The extra

Wexler’s may not be the traditional Jewish deli where

punch of pastrami spice and smoke elevated the usual-

you flip through a 12-page menu featuring everything

ly reserved quality of the lox and was simply wonderful

from knishes to kreplach and order mountainous sand-

when paired with the side of ripe tomatoes and onions.

wiches you can’t wrap your mouth around. And that’s

I immediately began fantasizing about different wacky

more than ok. The dining experience here extends be-

sandwich possibilities I could make with it—the telltale

yond the classic, thanks to some deeper cuts from the

sign of a quality ingredient, in my humble opinion. I fin-

smoked fish menu. If that’s what you’re looking for,

ished with the fin-laden salmon collar on the perimeter

Wexler’s is a perfect choice. sensimag.com MARCH 2018 17

{aroundtown}

by MARY CARREON

BUZ ZY CULTURE Equal parts café, art gallery, workspace, and concert venue, Hitman Coffeeshop is redefining the concept of the cannabis coffeeshop.

The roots of cannabis coffeeshop folklore trace back

tirely unassuming from the outside. In fact, unless

to a quaint, dreamy town in the northern half of the

you’d been to an event there—or read about it in the

Netherlands, where laced brownies and coffee go to-

LA Times, L A Weekly, or one of the other media outlets

gether like wine and cheese. It all began in 1976 when

that recently reported on it—you’d never know it was

Dutch authorities updated their antiquated drug laws

canna-friendly establishment. Once inside, however,

and chose to no longer prosecute cannabis offenses—

that unmistakable sour aroma instantly greets you like

a policy of tolerance they referred to as gedoogbeleid.

a welcoming committee, followed by an equally am-

This development led to a prodigious proliferation of

icable employee who checks you in.

420-­friendly cafés around the country, particularly in

Paintings by local street artists hang on the walls,

the capital city of Amsterdam. For decades, it was the

worktables line the center of the room, and display cas-

only place in the world to use cannabis without worry,

es loaded with stunning, intricate, and expensive glass-

luring hordes of canna-curious travelers from every cor-

work dot the front half of the store—including one case

ner of the globe. A lot has changed over the last 40 years,

that showcases life-size Darth Vader and Boba Fett

however: a regulatory crackdown in Holland has caused

helmets made entirely of glass. The headpieces, de-

tons of coffeeshops to shut down, while here in Amer-

signed by famed glass artist Banjo, are easily worth

ica cannabis is now legal for adult or medical use in 29

six-figures each, but you’re still free to pick them up, put

states and the District of Columbia. As a result, you no

them on, and enjoy an intergalactic smoking experience

longer need travel all the way to Amsterdam to enjoy

(with supervision, naturally) thanks to the pipes built

the coffeeshop experience—you just have to go to La

into them. Upstairs, on the balcony, you’ll find a cozy VIP lounge that overlooks the room, and out back, a patio

Brea Avenue.

Located along LA’s bumper-to-bumper Miracle Mile, the private, member’s-only

18 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

referred to as “The Garden.” It’s here that I find the shop’s owner, Hitman founder and CEO Doug Dracup.

Hitman Coffeeshop sits between

“Hitman is that place you can go to and work with-

a construction site and an

out having to leave for smoke breaks,” says Dracup as

empty furniture store

he relaxes on the patio, puffing a blunt the size of a ci-

and looks en-

gar. “It’s a great place to hold meetings or catch a net-

© DAVE WEEMS

working event or concert. But it’s also not the place

court case, Weissman couldn’t make the move along

with a big, glowing weed leaf on the front of it. It’s a

with his friend but planned to head west once all was

classy and clean space by design. It doesn’t need to

settled. Sadly, that move never came to pass: on Sep-

scream that it’s cannabis friendly.”

tember 11 of that year, Weissman and two other men

According to Dracup, cannabis has been the most

were found brutally murdered in an apartment in Walt­

consistent thing in his life and the driving force behind

ham, Massachusetts. The triple homicide went unsolved

all of his business ventures. The name Hitman (origi-

until 2013, when in a stunning turn of events, the FBI

nally meaning “take a hit, man”) blossomed out of his

traced the murder back to one of the perpetrators of

music festival days back in Boston, where he fell in

the Boston Marathon bombing, Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The

love with “functional” glass art and developed a deep

tragic, traumatic death of his dear friend and partner left

connection with the community of glass blowers who

Dracup devastated.

created it—a connection that most smoke shop own-

“The whole story is unbelievable,” he laments. “Los-

ers weren’t tapped into. Eventually, he began capitaliz-

ing my best friend has been one of the hardest things

ing on that connection by partnering with a local smoke

I’ve ever had to deal with … but [Hitman] is the only

shop called The Joint to curate its high-end glass col-

thing I still have that I started with him. It’s everything

lection displays. It was this opportunity that essential-

to me—I’ve never been more dedicated to anything.”

ly allowed him to launch Hitman Glass, a venture he started with his best friend, Eric Weissman.

Dracup has since expanded the Hitman brand to include coffees and teas (Hitman Coffee, produced in con-

In 2011, the partners decided to relocate their na-

junction with Groundwork and Dark Matter Coffee),

scent venture to Southern California. Due to a pending

cannabis concentrates and flowers (Hitman Farms), sensimag.com MARCH 2018 19

20 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

“INSTEAD OF A ‘WEWORK,’ and, of course, the cof­f ee­

WE CALL IT A ‘WEEDWORK’,”

shop, inspired by his many

JOKES EMPLOYEE CHRIS CAREY.

trips to Amsterdam. During one of those visits, he met Mila Janssen, a 70-year-old woman known around the world as “The Hash Queen.”

“IT’S A REALLY GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO

GET THINGS DONE.”

Janssen eventually became his mentor, encouraging him to open the cafe. Unlike the coffeeshops in the Nether-

art festival Dracup created in

lands, however, Hitman doesn’t sell any cannabis prod-

2014. Held each July at the San

ucts. Members have to bring their own stash if they

Bernardino County Fairgrounds, the event has featured

wish to imbibe. And aside from the coffee cart and

phenomenal headliners such as Ice Cube, Wu-Tang

bags of coffee dispersed throughout the place, it actu-

Clan, Cypress Hill, and Thievery Corporation, among

ally looks very little like a café. A more accurate com-

others. It’s also reported to be the first cannabis event

parison would be a sort of informal coworking space.

officially permitted to operate under California’s new

“Instead of a ‘WeWork,’ we call it a ‘WeedWork’,” jokes employee Chris Carey. “It’s a really great environment to get things done.”

Adult Use of Marijuana Act licensing guidelines.

As impressive as his current accomplishments may be, however, Dracup has no intentions of resting on his

The shop also serves as a hub for community gath-

laurels. He’s set a daunting list of goals to accomplish

erings, as well as a concert venue, hosting several in-

in the coming year: getting state licensure to open an

timate performances since its opening. Carey remi-

Amsterdam-style coffeeshop in West Hollywood that

nisces about the time Jamaican reggae legend Sizzla

actually sells cannabis; opening Hitman locations in

came in for a meeting and enjoyed the space so much

Boston and Las Vegas; expanding Chalice to Northern

that he spent the whole day on the back patio writing

California and the East Coast; and getting Hitman Cof-

music then decided to do a last-minute concert there.

fee beans and teas sold in retail outlets like Whole

Dracup and his team were happy to accommodate the

Foods. Needless to say, failure isn’t an option for the

artist, who performed two consecutive nights last June.

ambitious entrepreneur. For him, the Hitman brand is

“It was awesome that he wanted to stick around and

about creating something of quality that also has lon-

perform,” Carey recalls. “The vibes were amazing at

gevity.

that event.”

“It’s hard to put a value on something that is ac-

Hosting everything from yoga and women’s health

tually rooted in the culture prelegalization, like Chalice

events to industry networking mixers, educational

and Hitman,” he says. “But this is the culture, and

seminars, and underground performances, Hitman

we’re going to preserve it through this business.”

Coffeeshop’s best feature is its versatility. “We already have events here every week,” Carey says. “We’re hoping to eventually have events here every day.”

Of course, when it comes to cannabis-friendly events, few can hold a candle to Chalice California— the widely acclaimed hash, glass, music, and

HITMAN COFFEESHOP 659 SOUTH L A BREA AVE. (323) 424-4088 HITMANCOFFEESHOP.COM

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 21

Now returning for its third year here in Los Angeles, THE 420 GAMES is an athletic event dedicated to showing that CANNABIS USE and PHYSICAL FITNESS can be a healthy and harmonious pairing.

22 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

LET THE

by STEVE JAVORS

BEGIN For generations now, CANNABIS USERS HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST THE

DEMEANING AND ANACHRONISTIC STONER STEREOTYPES —THE MOST COMMON OF WHICH, P E R H A P S, I S T H A T T H E Y’R E U N F O C U S E D, U N A M B I T I OUS, A N D U N M O T I V A T E D. D I S P E L L I N G

SOME OF THOSE MYTHS IS THE MAIN MISSION OF THE 420 GAMES—A SPORTING EVENT THAT AIMS TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT ATHLETICS AND CANNABIS CONSUMPTION ARE FAR F R O M MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. For us active tokers, the benefits of using cannabis before a workout or post-athletic competition come as

medical marijuana’s benefits. As such, the creation of the 420 Games couldn’t be more timely.

no surprise. It’s been a poorly kept secret that for de-

The brainchild of ski-industry-executive-turned-

cades both amateur and professional athletes have

ganjapreneur Jim McAlpine, the 420 Games was

(discreetly, for the most part) been using cannabis as

founded in 2014 during what McAlpine describes as a

an all-natural workout stimulant and recovery aid that

“vision quest.” One day, while trying to dream up a

possesses none of the nasty side effects of pharmaceu-

new business outside his milieu of action sports,

ticals. Many sativa-dominant strains can aid concen-

McAlpine sat down for a smoke and turned on the

tration and focus while boosting energy and stamina.

television, when what came on but a program about

On the other hand, CBD-heavy strains are ideal for post-

the “green rush” on Vice News.

workout recovery—aiding with pain management,

“It slapped me across the face when I saw this Vice

anti-inflammation and promoting good cardiovascu-

special,” McAlpine says. Though he had no industry

lar health. Nevertheless, despite its widespread use and

connections beyond being a recreational smoker, he

reported benefits, cannabis is still banned by the four

decided to start a new business that combined his

major professional sports leagues, and punishments

two greatest personal passions—athletics and can-

for players who fail their drug tests can border on the

nabis. “I’ve always been an athlete who’s used mari-

draconian. But as evidence of its effectiveness grows

juana daily throughout my athletic career, but I was

and the social stigma surrounding it lessens, more and

living in the closet because I didn’t want to be judged

more athletes are coming out of the closet to praise

or chastised. So in a sense, I looked at the 420 Games sensimag.com MARCH 2018 23

as my opportunity to come out to the world and say,

“It was a super feel-good event. Everyone who

‘Yeah—I’m a dad, I’m an executive, and I use cannabis

showed up brought this crazy vibe of comradery and

every day. It doesn’t make me a bad person—in fact, it

support,” McAlpine says. “There were all types of peo-

actually makes me a better person.’”

ple from all walks of life, and it looked more like an

The inaugural 420 Games, which took place in 2014

athletic event than a cannabis event. Everyone was on

at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, instantly cap-

the same channel—we were all athletes that used can-

tured the curiosity of the national media, who dubbed

nabis, who were out to change the perception of the

it the “Pot Olympics.” The event drew nearly 200 par-

plant by being active. I knew everyone would want to

ticipants of all experience levels, despite being a non-

come back the next year and bring their friends.”

smoking, family-friendly event. McAlpine purposely

Mike Brogardi, a graphic designer from Venice who

chose to make it a nonconsumption event to distin-

participated in last year’s games, wholeheartedly agrees

guish it from all of the typical smoke outs and canna-

with McAlpine’s assessment.

“I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect when I ran last

bis cups.

“I have nothing against all of the ‘stoner’ events out

year, but what I found was an uplifting community of

there … they certainly have their place,” McAlpine ex-

like-minded people who were interested in destigma-

plains. “But we set out to do something different—to

tizing the ingrained stereotype that people who con-

create an event with which mainstream brands would

sume cannabis are lazy,” he recalls. Though it’s tech-

be comfortable getting involved. And we’ve achieved

nically a race, in which top finishers win prizes, he

that, with sponsors like Lagunitas Brewing Company,

says the event feels more like a community-building

Zola coconut water, and Bear Naked granola.”

activity than a competition.

While discreet and responsible cannabis consump-

“It wasn’t so much a race as it was a show of soli-

tion prior to the event is up to the individual, McAlpine

darity,” says Brogardi. “I made friends at the event who

stresses that the 420 Games is an advocacy event first

I keep in touch with and work out with periodically. I

and foremost. For those interested in incorporating

know cannabis helps my workouts and it is affirming

cannabis into their workout routines, the most import-

to see that I am not alone. If it helps you lead a more

ant thing is to start slow and make sure that it

active lifestyle, I don’t think that you need to hide your

agrees with you while physically exerting

use of it any longer. I’m looking forward to running

yourself.

again this year.”

“Don’t just jump in and eat a whole edible

Since its launch in 2016, the LA edition of the 420

before you run a marathon,” McAlpine cautions.

Games has quickly become the flagship event in a

“I don’t want people to have a bad experi-

series that now includes not only San Francisco and

I know

cannabis helps my workouts and it is

affirming to see that I am not alone. If it helps you lead a

more active lifestyle, I don’t think that you need

to hide your use of it any longer.

–Mike Brogardi

ence using cannabis to enhance their work-

Denver but also, for the first time this year, Pitts-

outs. My general rule of thumb is to start small.

burgh. From 2016 to 2017 participation doubled in size

If cannabis normally doesn’t jive with you normal-

to roughly 2,000 canna-athletes per event. This year,

ly, it certainly won’t when you work out, so I wouldn’t

with the addition of a second day and the doubling of

recommend it. Go easy.”

the event space (dubbed the 420 Games Village), Mc­

McAlpine, who himself runs the 4.20-mile course, couldn’t help but enthuse about the positive impact the 420 Games seems to have had on its participants— particularly at last year’s LA edition.

24 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

Alpine expects that attendance to soar to around 5,000 participants.

This month’s games—the fourth annual here in LA—are presented by Native OG Moonrocks and take

place on March 31 to April 1. The main event is the big run that kicks off each morning at 10 a.m. at the iconic Santa Monica Pier. Participants can choose to run, walk, skate, or bike the course, which follows the paved path down to Venice Beach—allowing them to enjoy the stunning views of the Pacific Coast as they race. Directly after the races, the 420 Games Village (located in the legendary Venice Skate Bowl) will be hosting a

The 420 Games

{ 2018 TOUR }

plethora of other events and entertainment, including

LOS ANGELES

more than 100 cannabis-friendly vendors, warmup and

March 31–April 1

cool-down yoga sessions, professional and amateur

8 a.m.—5 p.m.

skateboard contests (sponsored by MedMen), a three-­

200 Santa Monica Pier A

on-three basketball tournament, demonstration MMA

North Lot 1, Santa Monica

matches, speeches from ex-NFL players on the benefits of cannabis for athletes, a BMX show, and even co-

PIT TSBURGH

medians and musical performers.

April 12– Location TBA

For those interested in participating in the race, entrance fees range from $40 for a one-day regular pass to

DENVER

a $100 two-day VIP ticket. All runners’ tickets include

July 21–Location TBA

entrance to the 420 Games Village. The entrance fee to the 420 Games Village for nonrunners is only $15 per

SAN FRANCISCO

day. For the latest activity schedule and other infor-

August 11–Location TBA

mation, visit 420GAMES.ORG.

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IN

by ROBYN GRIGGS L AWRENCE

DISTILLATE

&ROLLED KEEF IN

26 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

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

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

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

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

CALIFORNIA

IS A LEGAL STATE!

BRING. IT. ON.

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

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

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

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

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 27

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

Sean Paul on the Bus

big, gleaming black party bus that says Urbn Leaf!

The Urbn Leaf lady leans in and whispers, Sean Paul

The guy wearing a black golf shirt with Urbn Leaf

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

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

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

smoke whatever we buy during the ride back to OB.

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

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

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

parked, Sally says.

Churros on the Bus

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

A hellacious line snakes out from the front doors,

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

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

ladies who seem not too sure but not too worried about

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

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

thing being expensive and the freeway turning into a

phone and smiles when Sally makes a few moves on

parking lot, and the Maps lady saying traffic is getting

the stripper pole.

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

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

always the goddamn freeway.

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

People here need cannabis like they need the free-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

going to the address Maps gave us for Urbn Leaf.

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

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

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

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

to be alone in that bright space full of unhappy people

registry could jeopardize her Canadian citizenship,

flipping through magazines, staring at their phones

which is pretty crazy considering that Canada’s legal-

and out the glass walls into the parking lot.

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

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

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

28 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

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

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

The lovely young woman with the churro is right

I catch a glimpse inside, lines of people zigzagging

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

like DIA security or Disneyland during spring break.

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

No one looks excited like my relatives from the Mid-

bad, after that ride with Sean Paul and all.

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

In the waiting room, everyone’s grabbing the next

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

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

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

I think she got that, Sally says.

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

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

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

Happy on the Trolley

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

We have rollicking fun telling our driver Kris about

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

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

else I might say.

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

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

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

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

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

worried I haven’t accounted for the headline-making

carob macaroons. The churro keeps on giving as we

California cannabis taxes.

walk on the reopened pier, watch the sunset, then

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

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

The joyless couple under the words glares at me,

The good vibes linger, even during my trolley ride

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

home—perhaps the day’s biggest miracle because

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

no one’s ever happy on the trolley.

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

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

a psychedelic conference in Vancouver. (I definitely

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

need to get out of Colorado more.)

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

We have to get out of here.

Let’s get an Uber, I say to Sally.

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

Instead of entering the third inner chamber to ex30 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

feel-good medicine.

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

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

This is California. Colorado rules don’t apply.

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 31

{soLA }

by BOBBY BL ACK

© BOB MARLOWE

REBEL ICON

32 Los Angeles MA RCH 2018

It’s practically impossible to look up at the FABLED HOLLYWOOD SIGN without also noticing, just to its right, the domed shrine of science perched high in the hills that is the Griffith Park Observatory. Though certainly famous in its own right, the Observatory was forever enshrined into the pop culture zeitgeist when, in 1955, it served as the setting for actor James Dean’s infamous knife fight in the landmark teen angst classic Rebel Without a Cause.

Decades later, the Observatory erected a monument on the west side of the building in tribute to the late cult icon: a white column, emblazoned with his name, a gold star, and a bronze plaque commemorating the filming of the scene. And atop it all, a bronze bust of Dean—one of two identical sculptures (the second of which is located at James Dean Memorial Park in his hometown of Fairmount, Indiana) that Dean himself commissioned, and whose sculpting was rumored to have been started on the very night of his death.

As the legend goes, when Dean was bragging to some friends about how fast his new Porsche could go, fellow actor Alec Guinness (Star Wars’s original Obi-Wan Kenobi) cautioned him about its danger— eerily predicting that, if he drove it, he would be dead within a week. Tragically, just six days later, Dean’s body was found inside the wrecked sports car on a highway near Paso Robles. Police reports indicated he’d been traveling over twice the legal speed limit at the time of the crash.

Gone at just 24 years old—at the peak of his power and popularity— Dean had inadvertently immortalized himself as the new poster boy for the old adage, “Live fast, die young.” Or, as Dean himself once eloquently put it, “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.”

sensimag.com MARCH 2018 3