Notes: The Bay

It’s a tough time for farmers. They laid the foundation and did the heavy lifting. With commercialization snowballing, and the government continually working against the industry, I’m hoping they get their well-deserved piece of the pie and seat at the table.

FLOWER

• Harborside Farms – Greenhouse, organic. Steve DeAngelo’s farm and also the supplier to Sundae School, my new favorite pre-rolls from LA. Been writing a ton with this lately
• Sherbinskis– Indoor. High THC that stops just shy of too much. Great morning after high. Some of the most colorful flower around. Founder, Mario Guzman is a legend among the hip hop crowd and has quite a special spiritual side too
• Swami Select – Outdoor, organic. Live regenerative soil. Fall in love with Nikki and Swami Season 1 Episode 5 of Viceland’s “Weediquette”
• NEW Moon Made Farms – Outdoor, organic, biodynamic and owned by one of the raddest ladies around, Tina Gordon who just gets it. 
• Brother Davids – Outdoor, organic. Dr. Bronner’s lavender soap people. Super passionate about psychedelics. Have their own organic stamp of approval called Sun and Earth Certified. Amazing mindset. Love listening to them.

EDIBLES

• NEW Space Gem – Made with Ice Water Hash. These vegan gummies are my 2020 MVP. The effect is so smooth and easy, you hardly know it’s there yet the day is just oh so calm. Love you Space Gem 

TINCTURES

• The Farmaceuticals Company – Do Drops. Queer women owned. Clean Green and housemade. Made with olive oil. My friends love this one

TOPICALS

• Humble Flower – The lotion. Super strange but cool texture. Rub it in with the edge of a rolfing cup
• Marys Medicinals – Muscle Freeze has replaced the China Gel. I have them mix it in with the other lotions and potions during massage
• Papa and Barkley – The bath. Great scent and texture. Not sticky or icky

PATCHES

• Marys Medicinals – Keep on hand for people with surgeries/pain/afraid to smoke

SENSUALS

• Cosmic View– VIVA LA VI Vaginal Health Balm  – For extra sore days:)

WHERE TO GO

You have to hit a few places to get everything on the list

• Harborside Oakland – Steve DeAngelos iconic dispensary
• Ona.life – Best curated menu of all the delivery services. Easy to deal with. Call a few hours in advance
• Vapor Room – Friendly, fantastic selection. Location: a bit gritty, but whatever
• Apothecarium – Good. Worth popping in

Notes: LA

Surprisingly, the flower selection is getting heavy on the indoor, which doesn’t seem synonymous with the ‘California Sunshine’ I want fueling my joints. 

FLOWER

• Sundae School – Greenhouse from Harborside Farms. Fashion line enters cannabis. Best rolled joint. Great taste and effect. High THC/Low CBD. Wrote “Tripped” with it.
• Pure Beauty – Indoor. High THC that stops just shy of too much. Great morning after high.

EDIBLES

• NEW Space Gem – Vegan, organic, made with Ice Water Hash. The effect is my 2020 MVP… thats sayin a lot. Love you Space Gem!

TOPICALS

• Marys Medicinals – Muscle Freeze has replaced the China Gel. Mix in with other lotions and potions for massage.
• Papa and Barkley – Bath Salts. Great scent and texture. Not sticky or icky.

WHERE TO GO

• LAPCG – LA’s first medical dispensary, little underground feeling. Organic selection. They are truthful about what the gold is. Mad respect
• Shop Serra – Portland’s lux brand is now open
• MedMen – West Hollywood. Always has the latest selection. Knowledge is a consistent FAIL

Notes: Seattle

Seattle’s dispensaries raise an eyebrow in an ultramodern city that’s increasingly known as Silicon Valley North. The scene is mostly old-school pot shops that carry practically the same selection. Still, I found some gems. Emeralds, if you will.

FLOWER

• Raven Grass – Indoor, organic. Strong. Love the messaging, clear labeling and old-school strains 
• Cannaorganix – Organic, greenhouse, hand watered. Yes, hand watered

EDIBLES

• Spot Seattle – Few ingredients, well balanced. The only CBD that doesn’t make me feel blah.
• GoodShip – Tastes great. Multiple ratios and recipes. Same owners as SPOT. Pastilles are my fave for painful small talk events. Peppermint tastes like the old-school patties. I learned how to ‘dial in’ my edible high with this line

WHERE TO GO

• Lux Pot Shop in Ballard – Clean, quick, chill
• Hashtag in Fremont – Friendly little pot shop. Typically have tons of Goodship
• Paper and Leaf – Take a ferry to Brainbridge Island and get high on the greenery alone. Owned by Blues Traveler Drummer Brendan Hill. If you call ahead they will pick you up from the ferry for $1. Cute CBD shop next door

Notes: Aspen

Due to the low-humidity weather conditions, the cannabis is dry and ridiculously strong. Stoner strong. If you’re a cannabis connoisseur, you’ll notice the difference. Silverpeak is truly the saving grace.

FLOWER

• Silverpeak – Greenhouse. Organic

EDIBLES

• 1906  – Little heavy. Midnight is my fave

TOPICALS

• Marys Medicinals – Muscle Freeze has replaced the China Gel

PATCHES

• Marys Medicinals – Keep on hand for people with surgeries/pain/afraid to smoke

WHERE TO GO

• Silverpeak – Where the luxury leaning crowd goes

Notes: Denver

The state that paved the way feels left behind. An overabundance of tired pot shops and inventory that lacks any innovation. The cannabis in general is very dry (due to the weather) and strong. Yep, ‘one with the couch’ strong. The three dispensaries below are true shining stars.

FLOWER

• Verde Natural – Indoor. Organic/in soil/award winning/great effect. Many epiphanies with this one. Too strong to use often.

EDIBLES

• 1906 – Little heavy. Midnight is my fave

TOPICALS

• Marys Medicinals – Muscle Freeze has replaced the China Gel

PATCHES

• Marys Medicinals – Keep on hand for people with surgeries/pain/afraid to smoke

WHERE TO GO

• Simply Pure – Owned by Wanda James. The first African American to own a dispensary, cultivation facility and edible company. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. Great selection. So inspiring Wanda!
• Verde Natural – For flower
• Botanico – Always pop in to browse. Cute place. I’ve experienced a few amazing strains that aren’t always stocked but has me coming back

Notes: Vegas

OOF. But ok. Should Vegas even be allowed to grow cannabis with the water issue? During the microdosing mushroom trip from hell (Newsletter No.12), I went to a cannabis conference and was blinded by the light and electrocuted by the fake vibe. I practically crawled to my room from the Uber. Luckily I made it to the dispensary, and tried to breathe my way through the two days.

FLOWER

• Green Life mini joints – The cleanest and most organic one they have. Good effect. I actually missed them when I left.

WHERE TO GO

• Planet 13 – Very Vegas. Enough said.

Notes:Amsterdam

Cannabis is not legal in Amsterdam. It’s ‘tolerated’. The scene is not nearly as sophisticated as the US — but then again, we take everything to levels that no other countries would.

WHERE TO GO

• Green House Coffee Shop – The Green House guys do great things around the world and have created some of the most legendary strains. Thirty years in the business and a mindset I really admire. Newsletter No.08 
• Boerejongens Coffeeshop – Cute little place. Feels like a bakery with staff in bowties. Little smoke room up the circular staircase.