Cultural Infusion. Private Canna Parties.

As I walked up to the entrance of the event, the first thing I noticed was the aroma in the air. It wasn't the aroma I had anticipated, rather, it was the aroma of mouthwatering food. The sound of live music pushed its way through the door as the attendant checked our invitations and against the guest list.

Excitement started to built as we entered a beautiful art gallery to attend our first cannabis event in Sacramento, CA. I was immediately drawn to a large, light-up ice sculpture forming the words FLOW and as I moved closer I realized it was functioning as a seafood cocktail bar. It was at that point I realized this was not going to be the type of event I had envisioned.

When I first heard about “pot parties” they really didn't sound that appealing. In my mind, they consisted of a bunch of tie-dye, patchouli, and really stoned people sitting around on sofas. Naturally, I was a bit reluctant to attend one. But, when my best friend sprung for the $80 tickets for my birthday, I couldn't refuse.

The ambiance alone was striking. With beautiful art on throughout, lighting projecting vivid colors and images of cannabis leaves on the floors and ceilings, and a three-piece band in the corner playing great background music. One area had a beautiful artistic contortionist performance taking place and another set up for 'pot-n-paint by numbers'. As I looked around it occurred to me that no one was wearing tie-dye, everyone was upbeat and social, and this was going to be a fun evening.

Everyone was so nice as we made our way through the galley to the 'consumption zone'.  This area had a huge smorgasbord of food with various options for infusing it with cannabis. A cooking demonstration was taking place and the chef was just finishing a batch of creme brulees, he was explaining the effects of each infused topping option. Two THC (psycho-active element of cannabis), two CBD (non-psycho-active element of cannabis), and two non-infused topping options were offered, we tried the CBD Cinnamon Peach topping; it was absolutely amazing.

There was also a non-alcoholic bar called a "mock-tail" bar serving drinks that could be infused with THC or CBD, or both upon request. The event did a good job of placing charts throughout the gallery explaining the benefits and effects of cannabis consumption. They helped my guest, who typically does not consume cannabis, feel more comfortable with trying the CBD based products.

On the back patio was the Vape (vaporizer) Lounge with a movie being projected on the wall and lots of seating. There was a small bar attended by a “bud tender” who had a huge selection of TCH and CBD based products available to sample. She was extremely knowledgeable, informative, and sensitive to each individual’s consumption. We were able to try some of the newest products on the market along with various flavors and brands; something that is not possible at a retail shop.

In the end, had wonderful food, conversations, and an experience I looking forward to having again sometime soon. Oh, and we learned a lot too. You could say my perception of a “pot party” has been changed significantly.