Sunday, May 9, 2010

San Diego Green Care Collective

(858) 278-8488

originally reviewed 04/13/2010

4.6 stars / out of 5.0 stars

The second stop on a tour I did with Headbandfan and Mr.nice215 last Wednesday was SDGCC. Their location is pretty conveniently located right of off Convoy and in the same parking lot as JP's Bait and Tackel. If you have a compact car, parking will be easier, but is you have a big car or truck, forget about it! Parking spots are super tight and make the simple act of backing up a mundane task. The club has a huge tinted window in front, but from the inside you feel like everyone outside can see you. They have a couple couches in the waiting room where HBFan and I comfortably filled out the necessary paperwork. Mr.nice was referring us so after a simple flash of his ID, he was waiting on us. We were verified shortly after and admitted into their nug room.

Once inside the nug room, we were given a run-down on their clones, edibles, concentrates, and flowers. Both BT's were quick to point us in the right direction and immediately started showcasing their top shelf strains. I must say that the quality of their high-end strains do in fact fit the bill. I'm starting to get to the point where even bomb $60/eighths aren't flying with me, not when clubs are knocking it out with 50-55 dollar ones! But the quality was definitely there and when quality is there, I don't mind dropping an extra 5 bucks my first time there. The G13, Princess Purple, Diablo OG, and Purple Lights are all equally stunning flowers with monstrous odors. Especially the G13, I think I liked it best because it smells similar to some Lemon G13 I've been in love with lately. It smells like straight citrus hand soap!! The buds are a little fluffy and leafy, but coated with a good amount of gooey trichomes that bring a certain shine to it. I ended up splitting an eighth with HBFan cause neither of us really wanted to go all out. He got some Purple Lights that had a real funky smell to it, a smell none of us could really pinpoint. I heard muscle powder, burnt bacon, well whatever it was it smelled intriguing and looked even more so. With the first time deal the eighth came to $55 and after a little confusion trying to split the bill, the donation price dropped to $50..Now we're talking! The BT's also threw in a couple bags of their Canna-butter Popcorn.

The G13 I got ended up coming through in a major way. I was very impressed with its sweet, spicy, citrusy, long lasting flavor from start to finish. The high would be ideal for the average wake n baker. It's not very overpowering and instead delivers more of a heady-uplifting feel. The Popcorn I scarfed down was ok I guess, it actually tasted pretty good until you got about halfway through the bag. The effects were next to none, I ate it towards the end of work so I could really put it to the test and I felt nothing more than a few irie vibes. Overall, I feel this club could definitely be a contender, especially if they were to offer some type of special incentive..like $50 or $55 eighths on certain days or hours of the day. Either that or just drop the cap to $55.

San Diego Sincere

858-565-1053

originally reviewed 04/13/2010

4.4 stars / out of 5.0 stars

This was the first stop on a tour I did with Headbandfan and Mr.nice215 last Wednesday afternoon. They're located in Kearny Mesa off of Convoy and right by the CarMax. The club itself is on the second floor of a large office building and there's plenty of private parking in the back so not to worry. Once inside the waiting room we were greeted by a friendly receptionist who had me verified in a matter of minutes. The waiting room isn't huge, but it's clean, professional and gave off a warm welcoming vibe which is always good. The bud room is in fact very huge and also offers that same cozy feeling. There was another member ahead of us so there was a little wait, but nothing out of the ordinary. Plus there was plenty of reading material and things to look at during the small wait.

Once it was our turn, I was introduced to Matt, their BT, who was very welcoming and eager to show me what SDS was all about. New members get either a $40/eighth or a free gram with the purchase of an eighth. After looking at just about every strain, I have to say that the Private Reserve OG ($20/$55) took the cake. Just a beautiful representation of a quality OG, complete with smell (sweet pine, earth, garlic), texture (fresh and sticky), and appearance (well manicured and loaded with trichs). Unfortunately this OG is not a part of the $40/eighth deal, so HBFan and I ended up splitting a $55/eighth of it, which isn't bad, but I would've rather had an eighth to myself ;^). Matt ended up taking care of me another way so it really worked out in my favor! Since I still had some left over cash from splitting the eighth, I also halved a gram of their Bubba Kush Bubble Hash ($25g) with HBFan. I really don't like getting hash unless I can feel it and most places don't like you manhandling the product. I didn't know the protocol of this club, so I placed my judgment in looks and since the hash rattled around a bit in its plastic container, I also had to rely on Matt's judgment for its real texture and potency. The Hash ended up being pretty pliable once handled, but it didn't have much of a bubble when heated up. The high gave me a nice soaring feeling, but seemed to fall off a lot quicker than I'm used to. The OG was tasty with early pine notes and finishing on more of a spicy note. The high was medium, it didn't really blow me away, but I had a nice mellow buzz going that left me rather relaxed, but not sleepy.

Overall, I feel this club is more than worthy of a trip when in the area, I just wish they'd invest in more quality flowers, not just one. I'd rather pay $60 for an eighth of fire than $55 for something that could be better.

Fresh Selection Cooperative

858.746.4207

originally reviewed 04/13/2010

4.6 stars / out of 5.0 stars

I was having dinner down the street and realized I didn't bring an after dinner bowl..so I felt a trip to FSC was in order. As soon as I walked in, Skee spotted me and let me right into the bud room. The place is looking better and better every time I stop by. I was only on the hunt for a gram, but I wanted to make sure I got the Best gram. After going over the entire fresh selection, it was the True OG ($20/$55) that stood out to me the most. Nice frosty decent sized nuggs and a fresh earthy OG aroma to boot. I didn't really see anything else too amazing besides the OG so that's what I rolled with. Skee was real chill about letting me peep every strain they had and as always, is more than generous when it comes to weighing my meds. After leaving, I went on a little stroll to sample the True and True it was. The taste was full bodied and held its earthy and citrusy flavor from inhale to exhale. It wasn't too expandable in my lungs, but it did have a delayed choke to it. The high hit me first in my face, around the eyes and temples, then worked its way into a nice warm body high that was felt mostly in my arms and shoulders. It actually made me very hungry again and I was tempted to pick up another burger! If you're in the area and looking for some inexpensive and dank OG to stimulate your appetite, then look no further than the True OG at Fresh Selection.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wellness Center Collective

619-795-7725

originally reviewed 04/06/2010

4.4 stars / out of 5.0 stars

The third and final stop on my tour with Headbandfan and Mr.nice215 yesterday was WCC. They're located off of El Cajon Blvd. and right by the 15 freeway. It's a mission from where I live in P.B., but since we were in the area, we decided to check them out. It's not in the greatest of areas and parking can also be an issue, we had to park across the street and down about a block. This might be one of those clubs you want to visit before sundown. Once inside the collective we were quickly verified and admitted into their nug room. The waiting room was small, but still big enough for the three of us to sit comfortably and fill out the necessary paperwork. The nug room was a lot bigger and painted in a nice green and white color that I felt was soothing to the eye. No clutter on the walls, besides a sick blunt banner they had hanging, the place was pretty clean cut and to the point. After meeting Andy, I noticed that they only had about 8-9 strains on the menu and I was curious as to why they have so many listed on weedmaps. That's when Andy told us what had happened. Apparently earlier in the day, Andy was robbed, not at the club, but while he was transferring his meds out of his car!! All 27 of them!! It's really unbelievable to me how he was able to secure some bomb emergency meds in such short notice. I have to hand it to Andy for still coming to work and opening for business after his unfortunate ordeal. WCC's cap is $55 and they have a deal where you can get 4 grams for an extra $5. Also, first timers get a free gram of your choice if you spend $50 or more. I ended up getting an eighth split of their Monkey Balls and Lemon Skunk. For my free gram I went with the Super Silver Haze which was very nice. Andy hooked it up too, I ended up getting almost 6 grams for $60!! Mr.nice215 only bought a gram and Andy still gave him a free gram too, now that's compassion. WCC also carries edibles, sodas, clones, and some concentrates. Check them out if you're in the area, you won't be disappointed.

The Monkey Balls was probably my favorite of the three. I'm not sure of the true lineage behind this strain, but if feel it looks and smells similar to the Mendo Purps and it may even have a little blueberry in there. Buds are dense purple and almost completely covered with golden hairs and milky trichs. The taste is a little mild, but you do get a tinge of that universal purp flavor. The high was mellow and felt more heady and sativa like. The Lemon Skunk is a mouthwatering flower with its fresh light green buds, thick orange pistils and pungent citrus aroma. Buds look like they've been sprinkled with frosty white trichomes. There were some citrus notes on the inhale, but was lost on the exhale and substituted with more of a spicy smoke. The high was heavy-hitting and the head change was very noticeable immediately after exhaling. I could see smoking this as a PM med, but without the sleepy effect. Their Super Silver Haze is a great representation of the strain, one of the best I've seen yet. The only downside to the flower was its texture, it was crisp and a little dried out. Other than that the Haze was on point. I got one fat gram bud of it and it's just bubbling with calyxes. It also has a good amount of sparkly trichs that give it that "WoW factor". I really got a strong scent of that metallic/silver smell mixed with a little haze. The taste was smooth and easy on the throat and lungs, not expandable at all. I could taste some metallicness, but it was pretty faint. The high was purely facial and brought me back up after medicating with some indicas. This would be a great wake and baker.

OASIS HERBAL CENTER

(619) 280-0015

originally reviewed 04/06/2010

4.6 stars / out of 5.0 stars

This was the second leg on a tour I did with Headbandfan and Mr.nice215 yesterday. OHC is a little out of the way , but definitely worth the drive or a visit if in the area. They don't look like much from the outside and even the inside is small with a basic set-up. Verification was a breeze and before we knew it, we were checking out the goods and goods they were. Once in the nug room, I was introduced to Gus, their owner, who was very generous and had a huge bong load with a healthy glob of wax waiting for me. Not to mention the infused chocolate we got to sample (nice treats Zombiemz). I swear it had some cayenne pepper in it. After eating it, it stayed in my throat for a while and even burned a bit. It tasted great though and seemed to take its effect on me while still at the club. I was blown away by the heat OHC is packing, every strain I smelled had its own unique odor and appearance. They don't really have much of a selection, but what little they have is extremely bomb, especially the Lemon G-13. This is some of the best bud I've seen, smelled or smoked in a long time..wow that's really sad. Unfortunately they're currently out of this amazing strain, but should be getting some more in real soon. This is the type of quality flower that's actually worthy of putting on layaway..lol. Thanx for the sample Headband! I tell you, it was pretty hard picking out just one or two strains to part with. The Black Gold, NYC Diesel, Blue Bream, God's Gift, and Chem Dawg were all bangin', but I ended up getting an eighth split of the Blue Dream and NYC Diesel. The best part about these meds is the donation cap: $50!!!!!! They're all $50! Half zips are $160 and wholes are $300, plus you can split them up anyway you'd like!! What more could you ask for right?? The BT's John and Russ are super funny and friendly and were heavy-handed when it came to weighing my meds. The only bad thing I can possibly say about this visit was the fact that the BT put both of my strains in the same bottle?? It wasn't very hard to figure out which was which, but still it was kind of odd. Nevertheless, I will be back soon and hopefully they'll have the Lemon G in stock.

The Blue Dream I got ended up having the same hazy flavors you'd expect from this hybrid, though the fruity/blueberry side was a little faint. The high was very "pick me upish". I actually had a headache before I smoked some and it completely washed it away. The buds themselves are light to olive green with minimal orange to light brown pistils and loaded with sugary trichomes. The smell is on point and better than a lot of the dream I've see going around. The NYC Diesel definitely has that Diesel smell going on, but I don't think it's the NYC. Buds are long, thin and dark green with a sweeter more minty fragrance. Taste was on the mild side, but there were hints of Diesel and an almost grapefruity flavor. The high was somewhat heavy and changed my mood to a more lazy and spaced out vibe. The Lemon G well, the smell speaks for itself. Its strong citrus odor is so overwhelming, there is no way you're leaving without some! It tingles your brain when you take a nice deep whiff. The taste is unreal, I literally had to pinch myself. So lemony, it's almost as if someone sprayed some lemon pledge wood cleaner in your mouth, yup, it's that strong. The high is nice and mellow too, so you can smoke it in the morning, smoke it in the evening, smoke it at supper time!!!! I'm in love.

Gourmet Green Room

(858) 273-9300

originally reviewed 04/06/2010

4.4 stars / out of 5.0 stars

This was the first stop on a little tour I did with Headbandfan and mrNice215 yesterday. To tell you the truth, when I heard GGR was gonna be one of the clubs on the tour, I was a bit skeptical. The last time I was there, which was when they first opened, left a bad taste in my mouth. We'll I'm here to tell you that things have really changed for the better.

Check-in was fast and the waiting room is still as clean as a doctor's office. They also now have a little library in the corner of the room where you can check out books and return them on your next visit. Once inside the nug room we were greeted by a female BT who's name I can't remember for the life of me. Anyways, the bud room is also very clean and professional looking. Our BT was friendly, knowledgeable and very eager to show us just about every strain in the shop...and we looked at a lot. I was really impressed with the wide variety of flowers they carry, didn't see any concentrates or tinctures though, and only one type of edible (cookie). Flowers are capped at $60 an eighth and they account for a large portion of their "above average" meds. I got the chance to view all of their top shelf options and would have to say that the California Kush, Lemonade, Lime Green OG, and Gaslamp OG were among the better looking and smelling strains. The Lemonade in particular has a very fresh citrus smell that also comes through in taste. I really didn't see anything too amazing so I personally didn't pick up any meds on this visit, but I was still given a free gram sample of their Afgoo which really wasn't that bad. It had a faint Goo smell, but bared a brownish tint. I wouldn't recommend smoking it out of a pipe or bong, but it's pretty smooth in a joint!

Overall, I'd have to say that GGR had definitely made an attempt to change things around since my last visit. No more $75 eighths, if they would just drop their cap by $5-$10 or at least get some fire meds for $60, then I could see coming back here on a regular basis.

San Diego Holistic Healing

858-412-3105

originally reviewed 04/06/2010

5.0 stars / out of 5.0 stars

I made my usual weekly visit to SDHH to find they have a new batch of Swiss Cheese, now $60 an eighth and definitely better than the last batch. It still has a bit of that chalkiness that their old swiss had, but nowhere near as crumbly. As far as looks go, it's some of the prettiest cheese I've seen around. The Wow factor is at an all time high with this batch and I could definitely see it on the cover of a High Times magazine. It's mostly made up of light greens with small patches of fuchsia. Flowers are neatly trimmed with thin orange-amber colored pistils and completely coated with sparkling clear gooey trichs. The smell is of straight Limburger and you get those same sweet cheesy notes on the inhale. The high is a little heavy for a sativa and will leave you pretty groggy if you're medicating in the AM. Overall the Swiss Cheese is a great strain to wash away a headache or tone you down during the day. I also picked up some of their Jupiter OG $60 which is some real nice stuff. It's very fresh and packs a pungent earthy OG aroma. The smell alone will have you sold. Taste is also a match and grabs you by the throat on exhale, very expandable in the lungs. The high is long lasting and will knock you out after a couple bowls. Great sleeping med.

Gus was the BT on this trip and as always, both of my eighths were .2-.3 over, NICE!! Right as I was leaving Gus asked me if I had ever tried a glycerin drink and after answering no, he actually pulled 10 bucks out of his own wallet and treated me to one...WOW. I went home and was very eager to try the non-carbonated paradise punch. I chilled it and sipped it slowly over the course of about an hour, shaking it slowly to mix in the sediment before each drink. The taste was pretty intense and I found it pretty hard to swallow some down without making a face. Strangely enough though, I found myself kind of getting used to the taste by the end of the drink. Anyways, I waited and waited and waited and after a couple hours I didn't feel anything more than a slight warming sensation in my body. It sort of felt like the feeling you get when you down a beer, 1 beer. This is not the first time I've been let down by a glycerin product, I'm starting to feel like they either don't work on me or I just need a stronger dosage. I've asked around and found it's really quite common for glycerin drinks and tinctures to have mild effects, if none on some patients. Nevertheless, I really appreciate the free Chronic Tonic and the never ending compassion SDHH brings to the table. That's why they're my go to club!