A Night of Legal and Sega Genesis: Cannabis-Infused Soda Review

September 29, 2015 By Ellie Klein

This weekend I was pining for some old-school games and quality couch time. To help facilitate this relaxing evening, I ventured to my neighborhood cannabis provider, Stash Pot Shop in Ballard. I informed the personable and knowledgeable staff that I was looking for a relaxing body high in edible form and, after chatting about a couple of different Indica offerings, decided on a treat that I have been curious about for quite some time: Legal Lemon Ginger Soda by Mirth Provisions.

Once home I snuggled into some sweatpants, opened the Legal bottle, curled up with my miniature schnauzer and gathered all of the games for Sega Genesis that my fiance owns. Since I have been planning on making a trip to Full Tilt soon, I put in Battletoads as a warm up and took the first four ounces of Legal.

I really like that the Legal bottles come with measuring cups, for those (like me) who are particular about how much they consume. The bottle holds 11.5 oz. of beverage, with 20 mg of THC for the entire bottle. Two servings per bottle are recommended. I quickly took another ounce after the initial dose because it is so delicious. The flavor tastes hand crafted, like homemade soda found at some of Seattle’s farmers’ markets. The lemon is zesty and has a lingering tartness while the ginger is warm and slightly spicy.

This particular Legal soda is, according to the bottle, designed to provide a “super-relaxing body buzz and a smooth, freeing head high.” About the moment that I was descending my toad down the long tunnel with the snake-like monsters, I started to feel very relaxed. I would guess the timing to be a little over half an hour. I was at 5 oz. and extremely relaxed, trying hard to keep my toad alive. Battletoads is one of the harder old games I know of, so I made sure to revel in some bad-guy ass kicking when I was successful.

At about one hour into the high I was melted into the couch and it was creeping into my head. I am not a huge fan of heady highs, but this was so relaxing that it only added to my experience. I switched out Battletoads for my personal favorite hand-held device game, Aladdin. The high was the perfect accompaniment to a night of old-school gaming. I did not want to leave the couch, not even for food. I am definitely more fond of snacking when I am high (in general I am not a snacker), but this particular high was void of food cravings; odd, but fine by me! I had a large dinner before heading home with Legal anyway so that probably had a lot to do with it.

About three hours into the high and seriously bombing through Aladdin, I became quite sleepy. I feel there was a twinge of tired throughout the whole high, simply due to how relaxing it was. I ended up turning off the game and dosing off into a very restful sleep.

Legal was the perfect addition to an evening spent on the couch with old games. I highly recommend it! Let us know if you have tried Legal; if you have, what aspect of the high was your favorite? We would love to hear about your experience!

Marijuana Review: Mystery Machine by Doc Croc

September 9, 2015 By Fischer Campbell

What’s your idea of a Mystery Machine? Perhaps a blue police box that’s bigger on the inside; all filled with switches, buttons, and levers – capable of time travel. Or maybe a technicolor van pluming purple smoke from the back, sporting some fashionably retro crime-solving hipsters yelling zoinks and the like.

Regardless of what your perception is, this weeks WA marijuana review is Mystery Machine (a first time strain for this author). The herb is made by Doc Croc, a producer whom are exclusively featured at newly opened Stash pot shop (locations in Ballard, and Lake City).

Doc Croc hails out of Olympia, Washington. Jennifer (an excellent budtender at the Ballard Stash) informed me that the producer was comprised of a couple Australian fellows, and that all their herb was grown hydroponically (not sure if it’s a real word, but it should be). As their instagram profile says, “totally hydro grown with zero dirt”. Their packaging has a pretty badass green crocodile flexing his guns, too.

Let’s see some specifics of the gnarly product:

THC: 1.32%
THC A: 26.2%
CBD: 0.14%
Total: 28.1%

Strain: Mystery Machine
Species: Hyrbid (50:50)
Smell: Earthiness + Spice
Taste: Tea + Bonfire + Skunk
Launch Point: Moments after smoking
High: Deep + Heady + Euphoric + Intense

This potent strain has a neon look to it, as you can see in the summer bleached photos. The golden nug is caked in white powder, truly a finely cured specimen. It felt almost natural to lay the buds out, letting them bask in the sun.

Mystery Machine’s aroma is that of a rustic nature, bustling with a rich earthiness – especially after being freshly ground in my grinder, the strain has a deep spice scent as well. It’s always so interesting to me how one type of herb can have such a pungent stink, while on the other hand some can be super subtle: this particular sample is more on the subtle side.

The bud crumbles up nicely, and smokes thorough – whether using conventional glass, or vaporware. Smooth smoke no matter how you cut it.

The high is intense, and comes on quick. Moments after smoking it was abundantly clear that this is some serious chronic. I wouldn’t suggest drinking strong beers/cocktails, and then winding down with a little Mystery Machine – no no no, this is the strain you use before you start drinking.

Rarely has a bud kicked my ass as much as Mystery Machine did (the first try), but sure enough I’m back on the horse and without the inclusion of several Imperial IPA’s, the strain has a truly majestic/euphoric high that I really enjoy. I’d recommend this bud to anyone looking to have a fun time in the sun, or those looking to really dig into a creative project.

There is a certain level of burnout that comes with a such a high total percent, so expect to feel a little drowsy – and maybe have a coffee, or tea, to jog along with Mystery Machine.

Doc Croc has made me very interested, and High Above Seattle will certainly revisit this producer for some more of their green scaley strains. Remember, you can only get Doc Croc products at the two Stash pot shop locations! See you next week.

Stash Pot Shop: Bringing Ballard’s Community Closer

August 31, 2015 By Ellie Klein

Ballard has gained an incredible community addition in Stash Pot Shop. The shop incorporates its motto–Community, Culture, Cannabis–into every aspect of its business. Located just off of Ballard Ave. and in the midst of popular businesses like Shelter Lounge, Hilliards and Cafe Mox, Stash Pot Shop adds to the inviting yet sophisticated atmosphere of the area. The shop’s quality product selection and its welcoming ambiance are definitely worthy of repeat visits.

Photo Credit: Stash Pot Shop

Stash Pot Shop had its grand opening on Saturday. The shop was hopping all day with 19 vendors and tons of excited patrons. The energy emitted on opening day showcased the vibe that Stash Pot Shop is intent on bringing to the area. A key component in relaying that vibe, the budtenders are friendly, observant and knowledgeable. With smiling faces, they knew exactly which products to suggest to all levels of cannabis users. They are an interesting mix of people who were sought after for their positions. Thousands of people applied to be a budtender at Stash Pot Shop, but only a handful made the cut. They are artists, analysts, customer-service experts, cannabis users… they are a huge part of what makes Stash Pot Shop so great.

Now, let’s speak a bit about Stash Pot Shop’s extensive product offerings. Their opening day selection was eclectic and all-encompassing, to say the least. The spacious glass display cases (submerged in gorgeous cherry wood) currently feature cookies from Winterlife Cannabis and The Goodship Company, among others. Ethos products are currently available, as well as High Altitude and Doc Croc. There are many pre-rolled options to accompany an impressive flower selection. The selection will change often to highlight many important aspects of the industry through numerous cannabis products. All the shop’s offerings are listed on three large television screens which display the selections of oils, flowers, edibles, etc.

Each product offered is hand picked by Shea, the mastermind behind the product selection, and his dad. They drove countless miles to find the best flower producers and vetted each option to provide only the best. You can be sure that the quality here is top-notch.

Photo Credit: Stash Pot Shop

The product is kept in cherry-wood drawers behind the counter. The shop’s creative design is definitely efficient. As I observed budtenders locating products for customers, I realized how well organized the shop is and how fluid everything was operating. KC, the shop’s owner, was a treat to chat with while he relayed his vision: a beautiful space, attention to detail and helping cannabis become approachable.

Stash Pot Shop is a great outlet for tourists and locals who are still not quite sure how they feel about legal cannabis. The people involved in this shop intend to negate the taboo which has clung to cannabis for decades and welcome everyone with high-quality products, a sophisticated shop layout, and friendly faces. Stash Pot Shop wants to represent the artistry and quality that is often underrepresented in the recreational cannabis industry. I’ve gotta say that, if my short time spent in the shop thus far is any indicator, they will have no problem accomplishing their vision.

Do yourself a solid and make a trip to Stash Pot Shop in Ballard. There will be a Lake City location opening shortly as well, so be sure to check out that location. Tell us about your experience! We would love to hear it.

Marijuana Review: Cheese Quake by Double Delicious

July 22, 2015 By Fischer Campbell

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a – Cheese Quake? This week’s flower review is of a strain produced by Double Delicious. We bought it from Herbs House, a quaint Ballard-area recreational shop.

Double Delicious is a Wenatchee WA based producer. Asides from the name being excellent (go ahead, say it a few times in your best Gob Bluth voice), it also serves an important point – their weed tastes fucking delicious.

Looking at their website, Double Delicious’ products are grown and processed using environmental [SIC] conscientious practices during all phases of production, our varieties are generated to boost specific qualities of the plant such as taste, color, smell, and effects.

I’m all about environmentally conscientious practices, especially when it comes to growing the marijuana I plan on enjoying.

On top of growing and tending their own nugs, Double Delicious also offers services to purchase and trim flower from WA producers (yielding multiple forms of product). This helps new, smaller recreational marijuana operations by getting them up and running faster, and reducing start up costs.

The package for Cheese Quake is pretty intense, to say the least. It’s a got a look and feel that seems to shout THIS IS FOR STONERS. Most marijuana packaging is subtle, simple, and generally focused on the product inside. This is like the Michael Bay of packaging nugs, I mean even the negative space is in the shape of a pot leaf. It’s not a bad thing, not every vessel for transporting marijuana has to be rustic.

Enough about that, let’s talk about the strain:

THC: 22.7%
CBD: 0.2%
CBG: 0.7%
Total: 22.6%

Strain: Cheese Quake
Species: Sativa Dominant Hybrid (Cheese + Querkle)
Smell: Cheese Funk + Lemon + Sweetness
Taste: Lemon + Dryer Sheets
Launch Point: 2-3 minutes after smoking
High: Heavy + Bubbly

Picture a pocket of flowers, then a earthquake happens (note: the earth is made of cheese). This is what Cheese Quake smells like. It’s definitely one of the strongest strains in terms of it’s pungent nature, I found myself lighting incense more often. It’s a delicious aroma, though – don’t get me wrong; however some of us attempt to be considerate to others living in the same household.

You can see from the photo that the bud is nice and crisp. For just a 1 gram package, Cheese Quake had some gnarly nugs that were clearly cured with love.

The taste is spectacular, intensely floral and funky. You could be sampling some ripe blue cheese, a few grapes, perhaps an aged Red wine – and Cheese Quake would be right at home in the mix. Working with food myself, it’s only natural for comparisons and pairings to bounce around the ol’ noggin.

Getting high with Cheese Quake is, as it’s name suggests, a potent experience. I was stoned within the first three minutes of hitting the mini bong, the onset was perfect. It really reminded of the bongs you find on sites similar to King’s Pipe (kings-pipe.com/) that my friends and I wanted to try a while back, but never really got the chance to. The feeling is super bubbly, almost like I’m walking around with a Django Reinhardt soundtrack following me. Often times I’ve wished for a real life soundtrack, turns out you’ve just got to make the music yourself.

Speaking of music, Cheese Quake really works with headphones. Dig into some of your favorite tracks, and space out. On the other hand, the peppy high lends itself to going out and about. Grilling is a perfect activity while sampling this strain; nothing like some good people, cold beers, sizzling meat, and a powerful herb.

Double Delicious, thank you for the superior product. We will be sampling another DD strain soon, called Dirty Girl. In the meantime, I’d highly suggest taking advantage of this summer weather and hitting up the retailer closest to you for some Cheese Quake.

Marijuana Review: Ak-47 by Chronic Situation Sold at Herbs House

July 8, 2015 By Fischer Campbell

As a tribute to July 4th, High Above Seattle is reviewing a strain called AK-47 this week. I mean, it’s not like Kalashnikov’s are inherently American – but the image below sums up the kind of emotion I’m trying to describe:

‘Murica

There, now you know what I’m talking about. AK-47 is grown by Chronic Situation, a producer hailing out of Spokane County, Washington. I picked up the strain from Herbs House, a Ballard-area recreational shop. It was my first experience at that specific 502 retailer, their selection and customer service was spot on.

Chronic Situation specializes in indoor production, yielding splendid products for all to enjoy. According to their website: Plants require more than just sunlight and water to grow to their fullest potential. That is why we give our plants the very best. When determining between quality and quantity, the choice is clear.

Mentioning their website, Chronic Situation has a list of strains they produce – yet no description of the strains. It would be awesome to read more about the nugs, because as a customer the more you can tell me, the more I’ll want it. Regardless, the website is functional and conveys the story that Chronic Situation is telling: we take good care of our herb.

Now onto the specifics:

THC Total: 16.96%
CBD: 0.336%
CBG: 1.138%
Total Cannabinoid: 18.43%

Strain: AK-47
Species: Sativa Dominant Hybrid (80% Sativa)
Smell: Skunk + Fruit
Taste: Tangy + Cheesy
Launch Point: 10 minutes after smoking
High: Creeper + Euphoric + Peppy + Munchies

After cracking open the bag, there is an abundant skunk smell. It’s pretty funky, and reminded me of a good cheese. As with any good cheese, you need a little fruit on top; a slight fruit (punch-ish) aroma is present.

AK-47 looks soft and velvety. Bright and dark green is a canvas for keef speckled red hairs. It’s all really like a pillow you could lay upon, and dream deep.

The taste is equally tangy, lingering on the tip of your tongue. Smack your lips a couple times and savor the flavor of this AK-47. It’s nice to sample a tart strain on a hot summers day.

Getting high with AK-47 is a euphoric experience. The elation itself is of a creeper sort, slowly sneaking up until it’s no longer deniable that you are deftly stoned. I love a good sativa, and this strain delivers on all fronts: the high is peppy, it’s light, and it plays well with activity.

After taking copious bong rips of AK-47, it was time to go down to Gasworks for the 4th of July celebration. The streets of Fremont were absolutely manic with people. Roads closed, police on bikes, guys trying to convince you to buy their hot dogs and chimichangas, the smell of dank herb ever present amongst the firecracker smoke.

There were so many people squeezed onto Gasworks park, it was indeed a sight to behold. We hit up the beer garden, and set up a blanket on the grass. There were live bands, long beer lines, crappy pop music, and tons of food trucks.

By the time the fireworks started, it’s fair to say that most people (in the beer garden) were half in the bag. It was hilarious watching folks not try and spill their beer on the uneven grass surface. The pyrotechnics were superb, especially with the lingering AK-47 high – which embers were being stoked by a few Anchor Steam ale’s.

After the show, there was a mass exodus. It looked surreal from all the smoke, almost like there had been a war. The cars attempting to leave were rendered immobile by the wave of citizens, like water against stone. It was my first 4th of July living in Fremont.

The fireworks themselves serve as a metaphor for AK-47; it creeps up, then explodes in joyous color and spectacle. Chronic Situation have a solid product here, and we’ll be sampling Headband from the Spokane County producer soon!