A total must do.

Cannabis events have long been a contention here in Los Angeles. How do you create a safe space, how do you have an accessible space for patients to consume while not bothering other patrons- what about parking?! It’s a balancing act that has been resolved elegantly by the team at Constellations. A multi-tiered shopping experience, Constellations 2 was a winter wonderland just in time for the holiday season. Alongside all kinds of vendors as you would any craft or farmer’s market- photo experiences, music, cute pets & a smoke lounge create an inviting space for even the most tepid & curious.

In the week leading up to the Constellations event, I prepared to participate in a talk with Canrve on Twitter (you can see the talk here on their archive) featuring all sorts of cannabis based goodies for the upcoming holidays. I was on the hunt for new products including skincare, topicals, gadgets & more.

Location by the Beach

Tucked away on a beautiful walking street in Long Beach, the THC Design space was an incredible venue. An ideal spot located by multiple multi-story free garages, a total luxury in Long Beach. All on an empty weekend where there was plenty of parking. Surround by shops and restaurants, it was best to grab a quick bite to have a good base before shopping and sampling your way through some of the finest cannabis products in SoCal.

Shop Comfortably with Cannabis

In the breeze and airconditioning, this marketplace is not like any farmer’s market or holiday craft fair. Boutique brands gather to pass on the direct savings to passionate cannabis enthusiasts and provide a safe environment for newbies and casuals to learn & sample their offerings.

The room was bright with it’s high loft ceilings and massive square footage, there was a bit of a narrow walk way through the entire event. I found myself more often than not- in other companies booth areas while looking and discussing products with adjacent or neighboring booths.

Fun Finds

Topicals:
Cannabis is a big fear for those with sensitive skin or harsh allergies to things like ragweed and pollen. Finding allergy conscious products not thick with skin burning essential oils and eye watering abrasives- Crave Skincare was an incredible find. Now penetrating the mainstream events and skincare marketplace, cannabis has been proven to benefit the skin, but only when properly utilized and infused into your routine. Crave Skincare provides the soft cleansers and optimum hydration for those with fussy skin and temperamental reactions.

There were many brands from beyond the small central location of Los Angeles. Humble Flower Co had an excellent platform for showing off Humboldt’s finest during Constellations. This anything but humble product lacked lots of strong cannabis terpene profiles of NorCal bud thankfully. The smell was minimal while providing unique mixtures featuring ylang ylang, white tea & jasmine. Delicate and light these allowed for maximum absorption for pain relief. The focus on providing a product that felt right on the skin while providing relief was show most in their massage oils & bath soaks.

Speaking of beyond Los Angeles, even California, From.Ever.Since was a luxury skincare line founded by a pair in Miami & Barbados. There are really a wide range of perspectives and takes on the simple topicals from healing to optimum skin properties or ingredients. Instead of simply focusing on formula, the duo brought the next cannabis line I expect to see at Sephora. Having found their samples of perfecting creme at other events it was excellent to actually see the team in person. The luxurious product line fit right at home on the make up counters of the luxury department stores.

Seeing the variety of products highlighted at Constellations really provided more evidence of how large this market potential is. The demand for cannabis products has been heard- providing the next level experience it definitely being lead by the innovators here.

Smoking Products

An unconventional offering I haven’t seen before. A totally unique way of looking at filtration. If you have a friend or family looking to have a more organic and renewable resource for consuming your cannabis that does not require charred metal screens or glass shards that float into their toke- the Rice Pipe may be the ideal quick gift. The Rice Pipe is essentially a style of expandable chillum. Within the chillum as a way to designate the depth of the “bowl” a coil mechanism that acts like a stand for a potted plant in the garden can be pulled or pushed into place. The designated bowl can be filled with white rice (for optimum absorption & filtration) to the chosen level.

Those looking for a gift for your soul sister, something from Elevate Jane may more be the style. Featuring the chic and must have classics from ceramic river stone pipes to pipes designed from different crystals or seashells. Headshops at many cannabis markets have a range that can be found anywhere, little random rainbow pipes from China and cigarette one hitters. Elevate Jane curates finer products for connoisseurs looking to entertain and experience through their pieces.

Throughout the marketplace you could find treats to hang in your home from the works of local artist Dank Canvas, famous for her #WeedWings you can find on Social Media. You can learn, paint & toke with Dank Canvas at her local events across California as well.

Another must have, dress up a workspace or something festive for your holidaze soiree are the pennants from Canna Reign. Unique hand designed pieces originally from San Francisco. Alongside these flags which are easy to hang anywhere, artist Camille Ochoa also creates ceramic rolling trays.

Safe Smoking on the Second Story

All the parties and seshes have always advertised toking & smoking it up during their events. The cloudy and damp cannabis events of 2016 are in the past. As you approached the end of the marketplace on the first floor you encounter a large window overlooking the space. Looks similar to that of a manager overlooking an office, but the cloudy window was not a frosted privacy veneer, it was from how cloudy the designated smoking area was.

Away from all of the vendors, preventing your new gifts & goodies from smelling like stale smoke- the second floor was convenient to get away to without having to leave. Safe & secure.

As you scale up to the second floor, a flight of stairs is tucked in behind the large clean bathrooms. Long Beach and LA have beautiful buildings and I honestly didn’t know where things would end. Leading up a narrow and spiraling flight of stairs leading to a third flood, the soft chatter & laughter got louder and walkways snaked around eclectic spaces with beautiful skylights and tricky steps.

The third story was filled with another variety of vendors as well.

Having been wheelchair bound, I would not advise this for some patients I know that are chair bound or cannot pull themselves onto crutches. At the same time I see individuals skilled like Tommy2Stix climbing up the stairs fine like it’s any other day. If you have a guest interested in attending another event hosted by Constellations at the THC Design location, majority of the activities upstairs were downstairs. There would have been plenty of opportunities to meet with vendors without heading up.

A Recipe for Success

Constellations was a hit the first time around, the second time was the perfect platform for a winter marketplace! Providing a luxurious, safe and quality cannabis shopping experience beyond the dispensary or simple sesh- Constellations was the proper mixture of chic cannabis products at accessible prices. The combination could not be beat. Constellations is an event series you can follow on Instagram to keep up with the latestof their news as well as RSVP your ticket for the next!