Good afternoon!
Raise your hand if you’re already plotting a sensational Valentine’s Day. Too soon?
Well, we are. And so are the promoters WeedbarLA, which hosts the CONNECT cannabis singles mixer in Los Angeles on Jan. 27 (8 p.m.; Hitman Coffee Shop, 659 South La Brea Ave.). We reached out to promoter Catherine Goldberg to learn more:
GS: Did you have any past experience throwing such events?
CG: I’m the founder of WeedBarLA, which is the premier event production company specializing in customized cannabis experiences, so yes! In the past year we’ve thrown all kinds of cannabis events including birthday parties, corporate events, and Shabbat dinners.
How many people can attend?
We’re expecting 100 guests. However, I heard that some people will be flying into California all the way from the East Coast to experience adult use cannabis the weekend of 1/27, so we can scale to accommodate 200 people if necessary.
Where does the event fit in to the trend of cannabis dating?
I don’t know if cannabis dating is a trend quite yet, but cannabis parties are. My personal philosophy, and what I’ve heard from lots of people I’ve spoken to within the cannabis community, is that people who smoke weed want to date someone who has a similar routine or at least tolerant feelings towards cannabis.
What is the program for the event? Is there speed dating?
THC mocktails, infused and non-infused aphrodisiac-inspired bites, and we’ll be playing fun games like Connect Four, Twister, and Apples to Apples. It’s a chill, comfortable atmosphere so people can hang out and get to know each other.
Why throw a cannabis dating event?
The idea started with a completely selfish reason: I’m looking for a girlfriend who also smokes weed!
Best of luck finding love, Catherine! The rest of you, get to preppin’. — David Downs
WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT
A day of wellness with Papa & Barkley — The best-in-class maker of cannabis-derived pain and wellness products will shuttle Orange County, Calif. senior citizens from Laguna Woods Senior Center to visit Bud & Bloom Dispensary for a senior education series with yoga, massages, and lectures about cannabinoids for pain management. (Tuesday, Jan. 23, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Bud & Bloom, 1327 E St. Gertrude Place, Santa Ana, CA.)
MONEY | POWER | FAME
The dean of Sonoma State University’s business school, William Silver, jumped to become CEO of California’s leading maker of cannabis products, CannaCraft. So we interviewed him.
Home values rose eight percent higher near Denver dispensaries compared to homes not near a club, a report concluded this week.
Gov. Jerry Brown released his annual budget for the Golden State, which predicts Californians and visitors will buy about one million pounds of cannabis and generate about $650 million in tax revenue. Via The Hill.
FASHION | ART | DESIGN
We’re in love with San Jose club Caliva’s refreshing designs for its pre-rolled cannabis and vape pens.
VIRAL
A new report found legalizing medical marijuana caused violent crime rates to fall as regulated operators replaced the violent black market. Via Guardian. Here’s the report.
WELLNESS | HEALTH
Oh, the irony: Israeli researchers are testing a new diet drug based on the human body’s ‘munchies’ response to cannabis. Via GreenState.
PICKS OF THE WEEK
EDIBLE: Washington’s best-selling Double Delicious CBD Capsules ten-pack won’t let you down; spotted at House of Grass. . . . TOPICAL: Portland-based Peak Extracts’ Rescue Rub might be Oregon’s #1 rub. . . . STRAIN: And the Cookies Co chain of dispensaries continues to dominate the “designer cannabis” space with the new strain Gushers in San Jose.
REVIEW
New product Vertly Balm offers wellness with a boost of cannabis. Via The Chronicle.
Find out why longtime Bay Area hip-hop star MC Zumbi of Zion-I shouts out Kiva Petra mints on our podcast, The Hash.
FOOD | TRAVEL
Bay Area cannabis company TSO Sonoma is throwing a private, RSVP-only “Herbal Romance” evening of bites, bubbles, and buds Saturday, February 10th. The Valentine’s Day-themed dinner includes signature cocktails by Chron Vivant, appetizers infused with Pot d’Huile’s olive oil, and a three-course meal paired with local wine and cannabis. Infused chocolate will top off the night. It’s from 6 – 9 p.m. in San Francisco.
San Francisco’s world-class comedy festival SFSketchfest picked up its first cannabis industry sponsor: SPARC, which will host informational booths at a few events.
NEWS
A slew of new bills in Congress would protect medical and adult use cannabis in states where it’s legal — the latest round of pushback to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Leading the pack is Rep. Barbara Lee’s REFER Act.
HIGHLY DUBIOUS
Newsweek published a headline stating Mexican drug cartels would use legal marijuana to “take over” California. Readers balked, the writer apologized, and the editors toned it down a bit.
WATCH | PLAY | LISTEN
Portlandia’s final season is upon us. . . . HBO’s cult hit series High Maintenance returns. . . . And the book a sick day — Planet Earth: Blue Planet II debuts on Netflix.
FOLLOW
@vanessamarigold as she leads the California cannabis culinary discussion.
@shopmedmen to check out some of Southern California’s best shops.
@hellomd_com as the telemedicine service visits Vogue Magazine and large Canadian grows.
Best wishes for a relaxing, rewarding weekend,